[0:13] >> Welcome
[0:13] to the city of St. Petersburg
[0:16] City Council meeting and your
[0:17] elected officials our mayor Ken
[0:21] well. District one hopefully
[0:24] Curtis. District 2
[0:27] Brendan Gallagher. District 3
[0:29] my party. District 4
[0:31] a council chair Lisette can
[0:35] away. District 5 ever think
[0:38] Sanders. And Gina Driscoll.
[0:44] Were you given Stu year and and
[0:47] Council vice chair reaching
[0:50] Floyd.
[0:53] >> Everyone to the Sept. 3rd
[0:54] 2026 City Council meeting clerk
[0:57] if I can have a roll call
[0:59] please. Here.
[1:02] The Sanders year this cool air
[1:05] events here
[1:07] and Floyd they were going to
[1:08] have our invocation given by
[1:09] rep and then after it ends the
[1:12] Met the mine after the exam and
[1:14] the men
[1:17] of the United, how you know
[1:17] Unitarian Universalist church
[1:18] followed by a moment of
[1:21] silence. If you can please
[1:23] stand and remain standing.
[1:23] For the moment of silence.
[1:24] I invite you all to enter into
[1:25] the spirit of prayer or
[1:25] meditation whichever best beef,
[1:28] it's your expression of faith.
[1:35] Mother goddess father, GOD
[1:37] spirit of life.
[1:40] You go by so many names and
[1:40] sometimes no name at all.
[1:42] We thank you for this day.
[1:44] It is a beautiful day that you
[1:47] made for us. We thank you for
[1:49] this opportunity to do your
[1:51] work in this world. Here at the
[1:52] City Council meeting and
[1:55] elsewhere throughout the city.
[1:58] Please bless
[2:00] our elected city leaders please
[2:02] bless them with strength with
[2:03] fortitude with wisdom. And with
[2:04] the discernment to make the
[2:08] right decision knowing that
[2:10] it's not always
[2:13] the easy decision. Please bless
[2:14] all the workers who serve
[2:15] our city who keep us safe.
[2:18] That's all the workers be they
[2:21] human or dog. N j and plus a
[2:24] big.
[2:25] >> Now a moment of silence for
[2:28] constable Edward a George end
[2:32] of watch Sept. 16. 19 o 8.
[2:38] Officer Charles,
[2:42] we use this
[2:44] Sept. 24th 1967 enough watch.
[2:56] >> If you can please remain
[2:59] standing for a pledge of
[3:02] other. It stands
[3:06] one nation under GOD
[3:09] indivisible with Liberty.
[3:12] It's for all.
[3:13] Thank you MAY be seated, thank
[3:14] you so much for the beautiful
[3:14] and the nation reference.
[3:15] Council members we have an
[3:16] agenda before us and retain a
[3:17] motion for approval,
[3:17] we will thank you. We have a
[3:21] motion a second clerk if you
[3:21] can open machine for
[3:22] voting council members please
[3:24] enter your votes in present
[3:25] council members voted clerk
[3:27] please tally announce the vote
[3:28] MADAM Chair motion to approve
[3:30] the agenda passes unanimously,
[3:30] thank you council members, we
[3:33] have a consent agenda clerk do
[3:34] we have any
[3:35] cards speakers apartment.
[3:37] Thank you and your team motion
[3:38] for approval approve the motion
[3:41] affecting Clark and you can
[3:42] open the mission
[3:42] for voting council members
[3:43] please enter your votes.
[3:44] Being that all present council
[3:45] members included clerk please
[3:46] tally announce the vote MADAM
[3:47] Chair motion to approve the
[3:48] consent agenda passes
[3:50] unanimously. Thank you now we
[3:53] move on to open for him.
[3:57] If you. Well, I'm sorry we have
[4:00] a council member wants to say
[4:02] something about the consent and
[4:02] vice.
[4:03] Share Floyd thank you I just
[4:03] wanted to thank everyone, I did
[4:04] not pull it, but it was a r
[4:05] program or eviction diversion
[4:07] program was on there. Just
[4:08] wanted
[4:09] to say it's great to see us
[4:10] expanding a program citywide
[4:13] and putting it under the codes
[4:14] department I think it's gonna
[4:15] be really effective there and
[4:16] so I look forward to that work
[4:17] to getting some. Thank you
[4:18] thank you have started this.
[4:18] That's fine. I was just trying
[4:21] to get you before you move on.
[4:25] >> Next up we have open clerk
[4:28] are there any speakers for open
[4:30] we do have speaker MADAM Chair,
[4:30] and I read the rules.
[4:31] It's going to be the rule.
[4:32] Thank you if you would wish to
[4:32] address to the Council on
[4:33] subjects other than public
[4:36] hearing judicial items this on
[4:37] the agenda.
[4:38] Please sign up with the clerk,
[4:40] only the individual wishing to
[4:42] a sign that open sheet
[4:43] only seager residents on his
[4:46] property. Business owners in
[4:47] the city for their employees me
[4:48] speak all issues discussed on
[4:50] the open for must be limited to
[4:54] issues related to the city
[4:54] of St. Petersburg government.
[4:55] If you're speaking to an item
[4:56] on the agenda. The only speak
[4:57] once during the open for or
[5:00] when the item comes up on the
[5:03] agenda
[5:04] was not permitted.
[5:05] Except in connection with
[5:05] awards and presentations in
[5:07] order to provide an opportunity
[5:08] for all citizens to address
[5:11] Council. Each individual be
[5:12] given 3 minutes to speak to
[5:15] after which the microphone will
[5:15] be muted. If you wish to
[5:16] address to the council to the
[5:17] zoom meeting. You must use the
[5:18] raise hand feature been in the
[5:21] zoom app or answer starting on
[5:23] your phone at the time when the
[5:23] item is addressed. When it is
[5:25] your turn to speak up and you
[5:26] did and next state your name
[5:27] and address at the conclusion
[5:30] of your comments when you
[5:33] reached a 3 minute time limit
[5:34] you'll be muted. All raise
[5:34] hands will be lowered after
[5:37] each agenda item regardless of
[5:38] the method of participation use
[5:39] normal rules apply, including
[5:40] the 3 minute time limit on
[5:41] comments the requirement that
[5:42] in a presentation materials
[5:45] must be submitted in advance of
[5:46] the meeting and the rules of
[5:49] decorum if life on the comment
[5:51] is disrupted
[5:51] by violations of the rules.
[5:52] The chair is authorized to
[5:54] accept public comment. But
[5:55] ultimately I alternate means
[5:57] including my email only and we
[6:03] do have we're in we speak Endo
[6:11] Speakers MADAM Chair,
[6:12] not peer into Washington were
[6:13] and Kathy Harris and please go
[6:16] to I the podium state your name
[6:17] and address for the record or
[6:17] cross Street and you have 2
[6:20] minutes to address to the
[6:23] council.
[6:24] >> Well is it good timing or
[6:25] what higher than in Kathy
[6:28] haralson 32th have nor Saint
[6:31] Pete.
[6:32] I'm here of actually about a
[6:35] consent agenda item so I wasn't
[6:38] sure if that was open or.
[6:44] Its item. When we look at my
[6:47] e-mail real quick ok sorry.
[6:50] It's someone about.
[6:53] Transferring
[6:56] general obligation funds.
[7:01] Here is item f one. Looks like
[7:03] there's a pending policy change
[7:04] which is to codified things
[7:06] that have already been going
[7:10] on. That seems incredible to me
[7:10] it appears that the city
[7:13] as amended or is about to amend
[7:17] its first fiscal policy.
[7:22] To explicitly prioritize
[7:23] required contributions to tax
[7:26] increment financing districts
[7:27] from and valorem Rams before
[7:30] allocating those funds to
[7:33] public safety.
[7:34] Now having worked in the
[7:35] muni bond industry for many
[7:38] years. I know that these were
[7:39] not part of the original bond
[7:39] covenants for either type is
[7:42] there general obligation or the
[7:45] tif bonds.
[7:47] There's no disagreements that
[7:51] the police and fire need to be
[7:52] funded. But
[7:54] I don't understand why funds
[7:57] will be going from the general
[7:59] fund to the 10th
[8:01] to the downtown 10th. I
[8:02] actually always thought they
[8:03] should start going the other
[8:06] way was that it was adequately.
[8:10] And well developed that doesn't
[8:13] seem to be happening.
[8:15] It's just unfortunate that we
[8:17] see that seems to be going in
[8:18] the wrong direction to me.
[8:21] The entire city. Pace into the
[8:22] general fund because
[8:24] we all pay and the general
[8:27] obligation bond and I'm sure
[8:28] that also includes folks in the
[8:30] downtown to have but why would
[8:31] we prioritize funding there
[8:35] before even allocating it even
[8:38] allocating it to the general
[8:39] fund if I do if I'm
[8:42] stupid don't understand by all
[8:44] means, let me know,
[8:44] but it seems like that's going
[8:47] in the wrong direction. Thank
[8:51] you. Thank you. Next week.
[8:57] But DR. Parent washout in
[9:00] Washington. Back to Washington
[9:03] you can have.
[9:05] MISTER Washington.
[9:06] No you don't need to tap water.
[9:09] Doctor Washington you do not
[9:13] need to scream I'm not rain.
[9:25] >> We've been doing this before
[9:25] I gave you know dog.
[9:27] And no way I gave you a lot of
[9:28] leeway. The last meeting doctor
[9:29] Washington need you didn't need
[9:33] me were visibly upset you
[9:34] didn't give me
[9:35] nothing I have the right to
[9:37] speak here. After Washington,
[9:40] my name had docked at Perigee
[9:42] Washington. One said if I
[9:43] you have to read it off St.
[9:46] Petersburg fraud. Second
[9:50] Avenue. I do
[9:59] do not overall people.
[10:03] Were you because I did all.
[10:04] >> Doctor Washington, your your
[10:05] voice.
[10:05] First of all as you all to give
[10:06] me a broom to connection shock
[10:09] and speak because I can hear my
[10:12] so properly
[10:15] you all the fiu to do that
[10:17] but you it
[10:18] you gave debris leads to malvo
[10:24] last year all but not a one 0.4
[10:27] You follow that you know
[10:31] what all the frack
[10:37] camera prom to give 750 fat
[10:40] Where you are for isn't up.
[10:41] Joe arrest me
[10:42] Iowa there Washington. And my
[10:45] guess is the last warning about
[10:49] screaming.
[10:52] I'm not screen.
[10:58] If this to Crow move it back.
[11:02] What do you
[11:06] mean you should that's going to
[11:06] let me speak. After watching
[11:07] you're not going to be I mean
[11:09] moving back a recess right now
[11:13] more leeway.
[16:43] >> In
[19:55] >> no zoom speaker, MADAM
[19:55] Speaker, MADAM Chair, okay.
[19:56] 2 awards and presentations the
[19:57] first award in presentation is
[20:00] going to be presented by
[20:01] council member driskell
[20:03] and that is Varian cancer
[20:04] awareness month proclamation
[20:05] for those that are here and
[20:06] they're want to join her at the
[20:08] podium, they're welcome to do
[20:11] so.
[20:24] >> And afternoon everyone, it's
[20:27] it's such an honor to be able
[20:29] to present this proclamation
[20:30] on behalf of the mayor for
[20:33] ovarian cancer awareness month.
[20:42] It's always an am an admirable
[20:42] thing to advocate
[20:44] for something that you strongly
[20:45] believe in. When it comes from
[20:48] a place of experience. It means
[20:51] even more.
[20:57] Today I I stand here,
[20:58] Justin deep gratitude. For
[21:01] these women and for everyone
[21:01] who advocates for and for real
[21:05] progress in fighting ovarian
[21:08] cancer.
[21:11] Over the last.
[21:18] Really leaned on Kerry kriseman
[21:22] has is one of the.
[21:25] She rose that's with us today
[21:28] and as I I began my own my own
[21:30] fight and I can tell you that
[21:32] not only did she helped to lift
[21:34] me up and provide some
[21:36] much-needed guidance. But she
[21:37] really showed me that it's not
[21:40] just about surviving it's about
[21:43] thriving.
[21:50] When you get to that point
[21:51] we're here. Not just trying
[21:52] to get through each day.
[21:53] But you're actually able to
[21:56] look around and say life is
[21:59] good.
[22:07] It changes your perspective on
[22:08] life. Their minds you what's
[22:11] really important makes you
[22:13] laser focused on that.
[22:15] These women understand what it
[22:16] means to get up and fight that
[22:20] fight every single day. When
[22:22] you are fighting.
[22:25] When you are fighting cancer.
[22:28] You can feel very much alone.
[22:31] But if you look around.
[22:32] You can find that there's an
[22:35] entire world of support ready
[22:38] to help.
[22:44] Bring Mac and cheese
[22:50] Yeah. And I got to tell you.
[22:51] I speak from experience when I
[22:52] say that I don't know how I
[22:55] would do without friends like
[22:58] Ray.
[22:59] But they don't just help
[23:02] their friends. They take their
[23:06] voices up higher to anyone who
[23:08] and can help to get the funding
[23:09] that's necessary to get the
[23:10] research in place to get they
[23:13] it's a loose ins that we need.
[23:17] To bring real results to real
[23:20] women, everywhere.
[23:23] Today I
[23:24] first want to say thank you.
[23:27] Thank you for everything that
[23:30] you do.
[23:32] I hope that one day I'm
[23:36] at a point where I can join
[23:37] you.
[23:38] I've got to start feeling a
[23:40] little bit better myself and
[23:42] then I will be right there with
[23:43] you that for today ice, I'm
[23:47] proud to stand with you here as
[23:49] I read this proclamation.
[23:52] Whereas ovarian cancer is the
[23:53] 5th leading cause of
[23:56] cancer death of women in the
[23:57] United States and causes more
[23:58] deaths than any other
[24:01] gynecologic cancer. And whereas
[24:02] American cancer Society
[24:05] estimates 21,010 cases of
[24:09] ovarian cancer will be newly
[24:12] diagnosed in 2026. And
[24:13] 12,450 individuals well die
[24:16] from the disease nationwide.
[24:19] Including 1850 new cases and a
[24:20] 150 deaths
[24:22] in Florida. And whereas while
[24:26] the mammogram can detect breast
[24:27] cancer and the Pap smear
[24:28] can detect cervical cancer.
[24:29] There is no reliable early
[24:32] detection test for ovarian
[24:34] cancer.
[24:38] And whereas the 5 year survival
[24:39] rate for a variant cancer is
[24:43] 50% and survival rates,
[24:45] very greatly depending
[24:47] on the stage and diagnosis.
[24:47] And whereas black women with
[24:51] ovarian cancer are more likely
[24:53] to have late stage diagnoses
[24:54] receive lower quality clinical
[24:55] services and have lower 5 year
[24:59] survival rates than on black
[25:02] women.
[25:04] And whereas ongoing
[25:05] investments in ovarian cancer
[25:08] research and education and
[25:08] awareness efforts are critical
[25:11] to closing these gaps and
[25:12] improving survivorship
[25:15] for women with ovarian cancer.
[25:18] And whereas each year during
[25:18] the month of SEPTEMBER. Very in
[25:22] cancer research alliance and
[25:22] community
[25:23] partner organizations hold
[25:26] several events to increase
[25:27] public awareness of
[25:28] a very in cancer and its
[25:30] symptoms. Now therefore I Gina
[25:34] Driscoll on behalf of Kenneth t
[25:34] Welch
[25:36] mayor of St. Petersburg
[25:40] Florida. Do hereby proclaim
[25:40] Sept. 20 26 as
[25:42] a variant cancer awareness
[25:43] month. And urge every resident
[25:44] to take the time to learn more
[25:48] about this quiet and crippling
[25:51] disease. Thank you.
[26:01] >> We'd like to thank everyone
[26:04] here for this proclamation and
[26:05] we represent the Soma
[26:06] mastery ovarian cancer
[26:09] Foundation. For our mother who
[26:11] passed from this disease.
[26:14] 20 some years ago we give back
[26:17] to the women in this community
[26:19] and offer support groups and
[26:19] financial help with whatever
[26:23] they need. So thank you very
[26:26] much.
[26:35] Thank
[26:37] you mayor Welsh Council
[26:38] and council member driskell
[26:40] honored to call you friend,
[26:43] provide whatever support I can
[26:44] no one ever thinks they're
[26:45] going to be saying the words I
[26:46] have cancer but unfortunately
[26:49] it happens to way too many
[26:52] people and.
[26:53] Gratefully I'm a
[26:53] survivor which is why I do the
[26:56] work that I do, but I'm not the
[26:59] only one that the women behind
[27:00] me. Hundreds of thousands of
[27:01] people men and women caregivers
[27:04] and survivors across the
[27:05] country and I.
[27:07] Locally but also with the
[27:09] ovarian cancer research
[27:11] alliance we meet with lawmakers
[27:15] in Washington to ask them for
[27:15] funding that creates
[27:19] funding for things that people
[27:20] need but
[27:21] also educational awareness
[27:22] because like we've said and
[27:25] this is probably the 5th year
[27:26] of stood up here and said
[27:27] there's no diagnostic test for
[27:28] this cancer, so thank you all
[27:32] for your time and attention and
[27:33] for continuing to recognize.
[27:34] September is ovarian cancer
[27:35] awareness month and and invite
[27:38] us here to Council chambers.
[27:41] Thank you.
[27:47] >> Thank you all for your
[27:48] advocacy for continuing to
[27:50] bring awareness and council
[27:51] member driskell
[27:54] you know that you have a whole
[27:54] family here behind you and
[27:55] supporting you every step of
[27:56] the way. So thank you for
[27:59] sharing your personal story.
[28:02] Thank you.
[28:11] The next item is the sickle
[28:11] cell that
[28:12] disease awareness. Month
[28:15] proclamation and mayor Walsh
[28:19] he's going to present it.
[28:22] MADAM Chair, thank you council
[28:26] member driskell thank
[28:30] you for bringing that forward.
[28:31] >> Our thoughts and prayers are
[28:32] with you and thank you to our
[28:32] advocates for speaking up today
[28:33] as well.
[28:33] Want to move on now to our
[28:34] sickle cell disease
[28:35] proclamation, we know that it
[28:36] is a debilitating disease that
[28:36] impacts.
[28:39] The quality of life for
[28:39] millions
[28:40] of individuals and their
[28:42] families. There was an ongoing
[28:44] need for research and treatment
[28:48] along with early diagnosis and
[28:48] pain management for those
[28:49] who live with this disease.
[28:52] We are thankful for the work of
[28:52] the sickle cell disease
[28:55] Association of America. St.
[28:56] Petersburg
[28:59] chapter led by MS. Murray Murph
[29:02] and welcome you and your
[29:03] colleagues to join in.
[29:03] We get some balance couple
[29:06] coming to a balance that with
[29:08] the red and black man
[29:08] And just last year we
[29:12] celebrated the opening of the
[29:12] foundation for sickle
[29:13] cell disease Research Center.
[29:14] Much needed facility doing
[29:17] tremendous work for those who
[29:20] need it the most and I'm
[29:20] honored to
[29:23] this proclamation and it reads
[29:24] whereas SEPTEMBER is national
[29:26] sickle cell disease awareness
[29:28] month designated by Congress to
[29:31] focus attention on the need for
[29:31] research and treatment
[29:32] of sickle cell disease. And
[29:35] whereas sickle cell disease is
[29:36] a serious health
[29:39] condition that affects the
[29:39] lives of 2.5 million
[29:40] individuals in the us and
[29:43] abroad. Dominant populations
[29:43] affected
[29:44] are of African American
[29:47] descent. But also include those
[29:49] of Caribbean Hispanic
[29:50] Mediterranean and Italian
[29:51] origins and whereas this
[29:54] recessive genetic blood
[29:54] disorder is characterized
[29:57] bicycles that shaped red blood
[30:01] cells that obstruct kappeler's
[30:02] and restrict blood flow to
[30:05] organs or 2 organ or organs
[30:05] which brings
[30:07] about excruciating and intense
[30:07] pain. And whereas earlier
[30:10] diagnosis and effective
[30:11] management of sickle cell
[30:11] disease are critical to
[30:14] improving the quality of life
[30:15] and health outcomes for
[30:18] those living with the condition
[30:18] as those suffering with the
[30:19] condition experience a myriad
[30:20] of health challenges, including
[30:23] organ damage joint replacement
[30:24] strokes
[30:26] 4 deaths. And whereas the
[30:29] sickle cell disease Association
[30:30] of America St. Petersburg
[30:32] chapter established by founder
[30:32] and long-term community
[30:33] volunteer Mary Murphy works
[30:36] tirelessly to educate and raise
[30:37] money to support children and
[30:40] families to help ease some of
[30:40] the
[30:41] financial burdens caused by the
[30:42] disease. And whereas the city
[30:45] of St. Petersburg is proud to
[30:46] recognize the one year
[30:49] anniversary of the creation of
[30:52] the foundation for sickle cell
[30:52] disease Research Center.
[30:53] In honor of Mary mirth the
[30:54] center represents tremendous
[30:56] progress in research and
[30:59] expanding access to specialized
[31:01] care thereby improving patient
[31:02] outcomes. Now therefore I to
[31:05] Welsh mayor of the city of St.
[31:07] Petersburg
[31:09] Florida do hereby proclaim
[31:11] Sept. 20 26 sickle cell disease
[31:12] awareness month in the city
[31:15] of St. Petersburg and encourage
[31:15] all citizens to join in this
[31:19] noteworthy observance and
[31:19] celebration of
[31:20] support for our citizens
[31:20] impacted. But this deadly
[31:23] disease and thank you all for
[31:26] your leadership.
[31:36] To Mayor Welch
[31:40] City Council members.
[31:41] And community friends. Maher
[31:44] wilt has said Mary Murphy and.
[31:49] On the mother of
[31:51] 2 daughters were born with
[31:53] sickle cell. A loss one several
[31:56] years ago. And the only the
[31:59] only one.
[32:08] Have the opportunity.
[32:10] To speak to you today to share
[32:13] that sickle cell has been
[32:16] proclaim
[32:16] it's national sickle cell
[32:18] month. SEPTEMBER's more than
[32:21] just a month to us it is call
[32:24] it is a call to action.
[32:25] All year long. The
[32:28] disease is actually over 7,000
[32:32] years. So we don't
[32:35] have any time to lose.
[32:38] It's been around for many many
[32:39] years. So what we need to do.
[32:42] We need to educate and advocate
[32:46] every day.
[32:50] We are 54 years old and I had
[32:52] fallen tearful 55 years.
[32:55] Right here in the city
[32:59] advocating for sickle cell.
[33:05] Maher Welch expounded quite a
[33:08] bit on sickle cell. But I want
[33:09] to also to know. But
[33:12] this is a hereditary dis honor.
[33:14] It is passed down through
[33:17] generations. And like you said
[33:17] it is characterized by the
[33:18] sickly of the red blood cells
[33:19] in the body, anywhere that the
[33:22] blood flows throughout the
[33:25] body. The sales can sickle.
[33:27] So you know it is a very
[33:28] painful disease very very
[33:31] painful is the worst pain.
[33:34] That's known to man.
[33:37] I also want you to know
[33:37] that is not contagious. It's
[33:40] not anything that you can
[33:41] catch. It's hereditary. It
[33:44] comes through the black family.
[33:49] It continues for many many
[33:50] generations. I recall is being
[33:53] the 5th generation and my
[33:56] children were the first.
[33:57] Wants to
[33:59] be detected with s s receiving
[34:00] a as genes for me as gene for
[34:03] my husband in which neither one
[34:05] of us knew we work areas.
[34:08] But it can only be detected
[34:11] through a blood test.
[34:14] We want to know the facts and
[34:17] we want to make sure
[34:18] that you know enough
[34:20] information that you can also
[34:22] share it with someone else.
[34:26] We invite you to share the hope
[34:29] by joining us
[34:32] on Sat. Sept. 26.
[34:35] From 5 to 8 30 pm at the
[34:38] University of South Florida
[34:39] downtown here. We will be
[34:42] celebrating her 54th
[34:45] anniversary. So come on down
[34:47] have fun for a fantastic.
[34:51] Evening with the Stars. Thank
[34:54] you.
[35:04] Councilmember Givens.
[35:07] Thank you so much, MADAM Chair,
[35:08] thank you mayor,
[35:09] thank you MRS. Merton.
[35:10] My fellow board members it is
[35:10] an honor to serve alongside of
[35:11] you. A lot of folks don't know,
[35:13] but our local chapters actually
[35:15] older than the National
[35:18] organization because for 54
[35:19] years this
[35:20] young woman here she had a
[35:21] vision and she is a visionary
[35:24] and I just want to thank you so
[35:26] much cynicism or from the
[35:26] bottom of my Council mergers
[35:29] Lee said it best earlier you
[35:30] know it.
[35:31] That means a lot when it's
[35:32] personal and I've lost more
[35:35] members of my family from
[35:35] sickle
[35:36] cell disease disease and I care
[35:37] to remember and I just want to
[35:38] thank you so much or for always
[35:42] being there for our community
[35:44] to help
[35:46] lobby I've traveled to dc in
[35:46] Tallahassee with you all and
[35:48] I've seen the work that you put
[35:50] in you can give a senator and a
[35:53] congressman a run for the money
[35:56] and they don't see a comment.
[35:59] And you really are. A small but
[36:00] mighty champion in the women
[36:01] who work behind you in the men
[36:04] who work alongside you you all
[36:05] are are really trailblazers in
[36:08] this community and I just thank
[36:09] you so much for really making
[36:10] an impact you know there are
[36:13] hundreds of thousands of people
[36:13] across this country who live
[36:14] with this debilitating disease
[36:16] and because of the work that
[36:18] you started 54 years ago we've
[36:19] gone from just having bone
[36:22] marrow transplants to cure this
[36:23] disease to now having Jean
[36:23] treatment therapy right here in
[36:24] our backyard. So I'm so
[36:27] grateful for the work that
[36:28] you're doing and our partners
[36:28] at Orlando health in all
[36:29] children's John often so thank
[36:31] you and GOD bless you all thank
[36:35] you, thank you, thank you.
[36:42] >> And councilmember fix
[36:42] Sanders.
[36:43] So I just want to be quick.
[36:45] But I'm definitely genuine and
[36:46] sincere.
[36:49] I want to say summer because
[36:51] you have drag you
[36:51] so your sorority sisters
[36:52] through process with you and we
[36:55] have been there to support you
[36:56] in Terry intend to
[36:59] the entire way and the young
[37:00] ladies that you have standing
[37:01] next to you you have been in
[37:04] the community serving this
[37:07] community also not only here in
[37:09] Pinellas but we have our
[37:10] sickle cell branch over in
[37:11] Hillsborough County and I just
[37:13] want to thank you for all that
[37:14] you've done and
[37:15] we're going to continue to
[37:17] support you because again you
[37:18] made it very
[37:19] clear a lot of people don't
[37:20] understand what sickle cell
[37:23] really is in the amount of pain
[37:26] that we see we start with Terry
[37:27] and Angela. You know we
[37:30] went through that with you so
[37:31] the fact that you are still
[37:32] volunteering 54 years later,
[37:33] yes, it was a labor of love for
[37:36] you because those who do
[37:37] daughters.
[37:39] You know those who are friends.
[37:41] What you've continue even
[37:42] though you suffered a great
[37:45] loss you still try to make it a
[37:48] little easier for so many other
[37:48] families dealing with sickle
[37:49] cell so I had to publicly say
[37:52] thank you again thank you as
[37:53] well as thank you for all you
[37:56] all being year to actually
[37:59] continue
[38:00] to advocate for those with
[38:03] sickle cell.
[38:05] It has taken us quite a long
[38:05] time we're not getting the same
[38:06] services a lot of.
[38:07] Other diseases that are out
[38:07] there and we're hoping that
[38:08] that will eventually change.
[38:09] I know you know you've had some
[38:09] assistance that you and I want
[38:10] to think mayor for
[38:11] acknowledging you with this
[38:12] proclamation today with the
[38:15] battle is not won because the
[38:18] fight is not over. Thank you
[38:21] MR. Thank you, thank you.
[38:25] >> Thank you are fun and you
[38:27] all for coming here did they
[38:30] it's always wonderful
[38:30] to see you every year.
[38:31] And I can't say it any better
[38:32] than councilmember fix and
[38:32] raising councilmember given
[38:35] says said it but thank you.
[38:38] Thank you.
[38:39] >> Next up we
[38:42] have Patriot day in day of
[38:44] remembrance
[38:45] proclamation and our mayor what
[38:45] he's going to present.
[38:48] Thank you MADAM Chair in
[38:49] recognition of 9.11 we
[38:52] now pause to reflect on the
[38:53] bravery and courage
[38:54] shown by first responders 25
[38:56] years ago, I'm honored to have
[38:57] chief Holloway in chief Watts
[38:58] joining me along with their
[39:00] teams. At the podium. They're
[39:04] on their way in.
[39:17] Today we take a moment to
[39:21] remember and honor those who
[39:21] acted then and act now
[39:23] without hesitation first
[39:26] responders the proclamation
[39:28] reads whereas this year marks
[39:28] the 25th year. We remember and
[39:31] honor those who've been
[39:31] touched.
[39:35] But the tragedies of 9.11.
[39:35] And whereas
[39:36] Patriot day and national day of
[39:39] remembrance recognize our first
[39:41] responders our emergency
[39:42] workers service members law
[39:43] enforcement officers and
[39:46] firefighters who answered the
[39:47] call to action
[39:48] with strength bravery and
[39:51] courage. And whereas the United
[39:52] States Congress has designated
[39:56] Sept. 11th as Patriot day and
[39:56] national day of remembrance and
[39:58] honor of the innocent victims
[40:00] who lost their lives on
[40:03] 9/11/2001. And whereas the
[40:03] bravery and
[40:04] courage shown that fateful day
[40:07] inspires us to celebrate and
[40:10] care for our first responders
[40:11] remember the patriotism shown
[40:11] by our service members and
[40:14] celebrate our collective
[40:17] strenth as a city the state
[40:19] and a nation. Now therefore I
[40:20] can that he will smear the city
[40:23] of St. Petersburg you hereby
[40:26] declare the 11th day of Sept.
[40:27] 20 26. As Patriot
[40:28] day and day of remembrance and
[40:30] urge all citizens to join me in
[40:33] recognizing the significance of
[40:35] this occasion in the city
[40:36] of St. Petersburg and beyond
[40:37] and to all our first responders
[40:37] thank you all for your
[40:40] dedicated service to patients.
[40:56] MADAM CHAIRMAN of the Chiefs
[40:56] want to speak.
[40:57] Yeah on the on the one thing I
[40:57] would like a.
[40:58] Chief wants to share is that on
[41:02] Sept. 11th at the fire stations
[41:03] are going to be
[41:04] having a moment of silence
[41:04] correct.
[41:07] We will we do that annually and
[41:08] I will say that mayor
[41:12] a council and guests we thank
[41:14] you for the opportunity to
[41:17] have this proclamation. We
[41:20] commemorate the
[41:21] Sept. 11th by honoring the
[41:25] fallen by supporting the
[41:27] current members of.
[41:30] First responders and we promise
[41:33] to
[41:37] never forget never forget.
[41:38] So when you all are out there
[41:38] on Sept. 11th driving by fire
[41:39] station you see our are first
[41:40] responders out there in the
[41:42] moment of silence when the
[41:45] towers fell, yes, you're going
[41:46] to be there. Please please join
[41:48] them. If you have a cancer if
[41:49] you can go your fire station or
[41:50] police station, thank them for
[41:54] their service. Thank you, thank
[41:57] you.
[42:07] >> In the next item is this the
[42:07] Hispanic heritage month
[42:08] proclamation and I will be.
[42:09] Given that proclamation so
[42:09] those that are here can join me
[42:11] at the podium and I'll leave it
[42:14] to our vice chair.
[42:31] >> So I think I had a sheet
[42:32] with the names of everyone and
[42:33] I think I left it somewhere up
[42:35] there. I leave it with
[42:38] everyone's names. Now. It could
[42:41] be there. That's all right
[42:45] don't worry about it. It's been
[42:47] one of those states.
[42:50] So it's my honor every year to
[42:53] give this proclamation and for
[42:53] those of you that have watch me
[42:56] give it every year you have
[42:57] seen that I've read it
[42:59] both in English and Spanish.
[43:00] I this year, I'm not going to
[43:03] read a proclamation in Spanish,
[43:07] but I will
[43:07] read a poem in Spanish.
[43:10] >> This poll limits by Jose
[43:10] might be
[43:11] q one point who helping night.
[43:12] The Cuban war of independence
[43:15] against Spain and with my mom's
[43:19] favorite poem.
[43:20] Some of you MAY know the fun
[43:22] one thought I made up
[43:24] you MAY have heard it.
[43:24] >> And.
[43:25] I will see a funny story.
[43:27] My husband who's from the
[43:28] Midwest. As a child he had
[43:31] heard a Fox on and he thought
[43:34] it was about a
[43:37] person called upon panamera.
[43:37] For those with you think the
[43:38] song is about a person called
[43:40] wind era it's not grant kind of
[43:41] make that means a woman from
[43:44] Guantanamo but to some of the
[43:47] lyrics from with the
[43:48] markings coins are within the
[43:48] us.
[43:51] The song, so you MAY have heard
[43:51] some of these before but I
[43:52] think it's very appropriate
[43:54] because the point contrast the
[43:56] treatment
[43:57] between friends and enemies.
[43:57] It uses the metaphor of a white
[44:00] rose and the speaker's
[44:03] unwavering cultivation of the
[44:03] Rose symbolizes. They are
[44:04] enduring love and forgiveness
[44:05] regardless of others actions
[44:07] and we live in a world right
[44:08] now where
[44:11] there is so much division and
[44:12] so much
[44:15] of us versus them and we need
[44:15] to think a little bit more
[44:18] about how we cultivate that
[44:20] rooms
[44:21] who's the
[44:22] With people natural sound like
[44:23] a in clinical morning in a
[44:26] dull. But I I'm eagle seen
[44:26] fatal.
[44:27] He made that amount of Frank a
[44:30] but I when I got a call that's
[44:32] okay, okay, be evil got of the
[44:35] meat or the that people who is
[44:37] the will natural sound Lanka.
[44:39] It's not going to sing in
[44:41] English. They cultivate it
[44:44] wipers I called the white rose
[44:46] in JULY is in JANUARY
[44:47] for this is your friend who
[44:49] gives me his hand frankly, and
[44:51] for the cruel person who cares
[44:52] out the heart with which I
[44:54] live. I cultivated neither
[44:58] fizzle morant nettle I call to
[44:59] me a white lace.
[45:00] So that being said it is my
[45:03] honor to read this
[45:07] proclamation.
[45:10] Whereas Hispanic
[45:10] heritage month known as MS.
[45:14] The lighting say spina is
[45:17] celebrated from Sept. 15th to
[45:18] Oct. 15th and recognizes the
[45:19] significant contributions and
[45:21] influence of Hispanics and our
[45:23] nation's history culture and
[45:24] achievements and whereas said
[45:25] Sept. 15th is independence day
[45:28] for the Central American
[45:31] countries of Costa Rica
[45:32] it's all about GOD. What am I a
[45:33] lot on doing us any good idea.
[45:36] Sept. 16th in Sept. 18th maikel
[45:39] and Chile
[45:40] celebrate their independence
[45:41] Day respectively and whereas
[45:42] Hispanic residents in the city
[45:44] of St. Petersburg amount to an
[45:46] estimated 10% of our population
[45:48] and play a vital role in our
[45:51] community and workforce and
[45:52] whereas
[45:53] the city of St. Petersburg
[45:54] recognizes the significant
[45:58] contributions of Hispanics
[45:59] including many city employees
[46:00] in our community. Their support
[46:01] and community involvement make
[46:04] our city more culturally
[46:04] diverse and
[46:05] welcoming for everyone and
[46:07] whereas the city of St.
[46:10] Petersburg is proud to
[46:11] celebrate and recognize
[46:13] Hispanic culture and heritage
[46:14] as an important part of our
[46:17] inclusive city Hispanics are
[46:17] part of the
[46:20] welcome of the week and we are
[46:21] Saint Pete. Now therefore I was
[46:23] at hand with on behalf of
[46:25] Kenneth p Walter mayor, the
[46:25] city of St. Petersburg do
[46:28] hereby declare Sept. 15th at
[46:30] through 10/15/2026,
[46:31] as Hispanic heritage month and
[46:32] urge all citizens to join me in
[46:33] recognizing the significance of
[46:37] this occasion in the city
[46:40] of St. Petersburg thank you.
[46:45] >> Now before I turn it there's
[46:47] a couple of speakers, I know
[46:48] there's some employees that are
[46:49] all here from the city of St.
[46:53] Petersburg if you can wave your
[46:56] hands if you're Hispanic.
[46:59] I had the list and
[47:02] I forgot it so that we
[47:04] have we are very fortunate to
[47:04] have e.
[47:05] Good number of our employees
[47:06] who are Hispanic and have been
[47:07] whether city for a very long
[47:08] time so I wanted to recognize
[47:09] that they're here with us
[47:13] today.
[47:13] I believe there are you speak
[47:17] if you compare it.
[47:24] Hello everyone, thank you
[47:26] mayor, thank you Council.
[47:30] My name is Linda I am the
[47:31] founder of
[47:32] candidates that is Spanish for
[47:34] King the rooms. We are a
[47:38] bilingual educational nonprofit
[47:38] in Saint Pete focused on
[47:39] cultivating connection in
[47:41] positive mental health in
[47:42] children. And I believe
[47:43] community is a huge part of
[47:44] that so thank you for
[47:47] celebrating us and our
[47:48] community
[47:49] and coming together with us.
[47:52] With that we are located on the
[47:53] south side of Saint Pete we're
[47:54] kind of tucked away and we are
[47:57] grateful to provide a space of
[47:58] community connection include
[48:01] and inclusion both for our
[48:02] students and for our educators.
[48:05] We would love to invite you to
[48:08] come out and visit us sometime
[48:09] and if you're
[48:09] available tomorrow and happen
[48:12] to love jazz or so music we
[48:14] will be at the studio 6.20.
[48:16] Hosting a benefit concert with
[48:18] actually the amazing Allison
[48:19] national be singing. And so
[48:20] would love to invite you there
[48:23] in your you'd be able to hear a
[48:26] little bit about who we are why
[48:27] we do what we do. I invite you
[48:30] to visit our Web site can go
[48:31] to's dot org and or feel free
[48:31] to connect with me following
[48:32] this and I would love to share
[48:35] more with you. Thank you again.
[48:45] >> I am a doctor Christina tan
[48:46] Suarez and I'm with Excelsior
[48:46] University Saint Pete and I'm
[48:47] gonna have my executive
[48:48] director for the Center for
[48:52] social justice, maybe a block
[48:55] or did not speak for us.
[49:00] >> Mayor Welch City Council
[49:03] members community leaders and
[49:03] everyone gathered here today.
[49:06] It's a cool honor to be here as
[49:08] a cd of St. Petersburg
[49:08] officially recognizes and
[49:11] proclaims Hispanic heritage
[49:14] month.
[49:16] Our team is piling years of
[49:19] change shaping the future
[49:21] together. It's a powerful
[49:22] reminder. The Hispanic heritage
[49:24] is not only about remembering
[49:27] our history. But also about
[49:29] recognizing the people who
[49:33] continue to create change open
[49:33] doors to threaten communities
[49:34] and built up a tuna tease for
[49:35] generations that follow.
[49:37] Today we celebrate the
[49:40] resilience. The other ship
[49:43] culture and contributions of
[49:44] Hispanic community. We honored
[49:44] those who came before us, but
[49:47] also we celebrate the power
[49:50] Newsom long us who are.
[49:52] Currently helping to
[49:55] shape the future of St.
[49:58] Petersburg. We are also very
[50:00] excited to continue. This
[50:01] celebration on Oct. The 7th.
[50:03] With our Hispanic heritage
[50:05] month event at the Excel to
[50:07] university. Also title high on
[50:09] years of change shaping the
[50:09] future together. This event
[50:12] will bring together the leaders
[50:14] enter printers
[50:15] educators community
[50:18] organizations and residents
[50:20] around. Saint Pete.
[50:23] To come and collaborate with us
[50:24] in this. And this
[50:27] opportunity to talk and discuss
[50:30] about the future of
[50:32] the Hispanic population.
[50:35] We're especially grateful to
[50:36] partner with the greenhouse and
[50:37] the Hispanic outreach center.
[50:40] And for mayors Welsh support in
[50:42] helping us to bring this vision
[50:43] to the community. Our program
[50:47] he's built and a nice but a
[50:50] simple idea pioneers rarely
[50:51] creates change long alone.
[50:52] Partnered partnerships and
[50:54] relationships are quick
[50:57] transform ideas into real
[50:58] community impact. So today
[51:01] as we receive this
[51:01] proclamation. I hope we not
[51:04] only celebrate their heritage.
[51:07] But also ask ourselves
[51:09] how can you each of us
[51:11] can be a pioneer of change.
[51:12] How can we open the door
[51:14] mentor, someone built the
[51:15] bridge or create an opportunity
[51:18] for someone else because when
[51:19] we do that together
[51:20] we do more the honor of
[51:23] history, we also shape our
[51:26] future together. Thank you.
[51:38] >> And in the Sylvia Acevedo
[51:41] and with me and then we will
[51:42] basically
[51:45] my my people my village I want
[51:45] to thank the mayors office I
[51:48] want to thank City Council for
[51:49] this love you 5 Commission of
[51:49] course you've been set go back
[51:52] 6 years and we have to form on
[51:55] the screen during covid.
[51:57] >> a little bit about the
[51:58] organization doesn't cheat
[52:01] notes. So our mission is that
[52:03] we activity in konecny hinted
[52:06] to experience experiences in
[52:09] culture, heating and
[52:11] advocacy for social justice.
[52:14] During his Hispanic heritage
[52:14] month annually. We have a
[52:17] signature of any closer to fit
[52:18] you know and
[52:21] that has historically been in
[52:24] Saint Pete. This year we're
[52:25] having in the Sept. 19th.
[52:25] At to.
[52:29] Tropical home galleries left
[52:29] the not own gallery in Ybor
[52:31] city invited to attend that the
[52:34] time is from 11 to 05:00pm
[52:37] assistance hears help hoping
[52:38] with that. And you know, and
[52:40] it's it's cultural educational
[52:43] children's activities, it's not
[52:44] performative in no ways it
[52:45] just you going to be too dense
[52:48] check to check. Its educational
[52:51] advocacy it is amazing and and
[52:55] and the thing about this you
[52:55] that I'm most proud about
[52:56] is that would partner with the
[52:56] city of Saint Pete for the
[52:59] second annual somo Saint Pete
[53:01] is going to
[53:04] be held in the pier. Thank you
[53:07] mayor, thank you
[53:10] council members were very
[53:11] excited about that one.
[53:11] And that is going to be.
[53:12] Oct. 4th. And it's going to be
[53:15] in partnership with the help of
[53:18] that that symbol.
[53:20] Within a week. All right that.
[53:22] >> All right so it's going to
[53:25] be at the pier. Second Avenue
[53:27] North these. The city is
[53:28] County the city of Saint Pete
[53:31] Meehan they mean well and peer
[53:32] events out of c. So it's going
[53:36] to be community culture and
[53:39] live a life raft music
[53:42] activities for kids food
[53:43] trucks.
[53:43] You know a little a little bit
[53:44] of sunshine. You know because
[53:47] we all need that. And so please
[53:50] join us. I mean so excited
[53:51] to be able to engage our local
[53:53] vendors to come out with food
[53:56] trucks and artisans and you
[54:00] know infuse a little bit of
[54:03] you of the economy into them.
[54:03] So thank you people stick to
[54:06] the time because you're right
[54:09] there.
[54:19] >> And one recent thank you.
[54:20] Good afternoon. My name is and
[54:23] those I'm part of the come
[54:23] Hispanic our the dark there
[54:24] could be the impact on
[54:25] development and I want to thank
[54:28] you to recognize the Hispanic
[54:30] heritage month
[54:31] is as you know very difficult
[54:34] when somebody comes to
[54:35] understand the
[54:36] language and all that and the
[54:39] Hispanic center is right there
[56:21] to help them to navigate
[56:43] assistant to help understand
[56:43] the forms. So that's what
[56:43] we do on the Hispanic our
[56:44] center. This monkey was depart
[56:44] over to nutty to recognize and
[56:45] celebrate the history musick
[56:45] cultural tradition and
[56:45] contribute to the Hispanic has
[56:46] moved here
[56:46] on the Hispanic Americans to
[56:47] our community. They spent hours
[56:47] center is proud to serve
[56:48] everyone in the
[56:48] community know just the
[56:48] Hispanic population. But like I
[56:49] mentioned before are focused of
[56:49] course because we speak Spanish
[56:50] and English
[56:50] is the Hispanic community would
[56:50] help them to get to that bridge
[56:51] that we have been talking a
[56:51] little bit before right.
[56:52] So we offer our bilingual
[56:52] services helping to be those
[56:53] access information and
[56:53] resources in both English and
[56:53] Spanish and we are grateful for
[56:54] the opportunity to serve the
[56:54] community and everybody that
[56:54] comes in support us. Thank you
[56:55] to the mayor,
[56:55] you see the members. Council
[56:55] members and thank you everybody
[56:56] to
[56:56] recognize and celebrate that
[56:56] he's been here this month.
[56:57] I encourage you to join
[56:57] us for a guy's going to be on
[56:57] Sept. 25th, we are going to
[56:57] celebrate everything that we
[56:57] have be able to do to our
[56:57] community all our neighbors
[56:58] home Pinellas County and also
[56:58] we're going to take the
[56:58] opportunity of course to
[56:58] celebrate Hispanic heritage
[56:58] month because why not right.
[56:58] So thank you so much and happy
[56:58] heard this month being here.
[56:59] >> Thank you all so much it's
[56:59] wonderful to hear about the
[56:59] number of events that we can
[56:59] participate in over the next
[56:59] month.
[56:59] We're going to go on to item
[56:59] the 5. A national service dog
[56:59] service dog month proclamation
[56:59] with councilmember covered.
[57:00] >> Thank you vice chair, and if
[57:00] I could.
[57:00] Could get everyone to come out
[57:00] here enjoying, yes Brady it's
[57:00] finally your turn. I think the
[57:00] meeting was getting a little
[57:00] long in the tooth for the dogs
[57:00] so thank for their patients.
[57:00] So yes we are joined today by 7
[57:00] all of our 4, 2, like it so I
[57:00] will do some quick
[57:01] introductions before I read the
[57:01] proclamation. So first we are
[57:01] joined by several of our
[57:01] friends from dogs Inc cb
[57:01] holding it who is joined by his
[57:01] handler John been shannan
[57:01] Klondike
[57:05] handler Stacy Goodrich. The
[57:06] whose instructor is Kristen
[57:06] Jordan and Dave who's
[57:09] instructor is Samantha Phillips
[57:11] and they are all from dogs Inc
[57:15] and we also are joined by Kerry
[57:15] kriseman who did
[57:16] not bring a dog with her today.
[57:19] But she is a longtime champion
[57:20] as we all know of dogs the ink
[57:23] and service dogs all around so
[57:26] thank her for being here.
[57:28] We are also joined for the
[57:31] first time at this proclamation
[57:34] by Saint Pete fire and rescue
[57:35] up Brady and shadow
[57:36] so welcome to both of them.
[57:39] Lieutenant Rob Neuberger and
[57:40] lieutenant John
[57:42] Blankley is with us as well
[57:44] today and unfortunately a
[57:45] Snowbird was not able to be
[57:46] with us today but we will make
[57:50] sure that we get a copy of the
[57:51] proclamation to Snowbird
[57:53] from usf Saint Pete. So with
[57:54] that I want to go ahead and
[57:57] read the proclamation I'd like
[57:58] to give one
[57:59] to Saint Pete fire rescue.
[58:02] And 1, 2, dogs eat, whoever
[58:03] would
[58:04] like to take it.
[58:09] And then we will go ahead and
[58:09] the proclamation and the
[58:10] proclamation reads.
[58:10] Whereas national service dog
[58:14] month observed every SEPTEMBER
[58:14] is a time
[58:17] to recognize and honor the
[58:18] dedication. Training and
[58:18] invaluable contributions of
[58:20] service dogs and the
[58:22] organizations and trainers to
[58:22] prepare them. And whereas
[58:25] service dogs are highly trained
[58:28] working animals who skills.
[58:32] Dedication and companionship
[58:32] provide life-changing
[58:33] assistance to the people who
[58:34] rely on them and whereas
[58:37] service dogs help individuals
[58:38] with disabilities to
[58:39] live a fuller more independent
[58:42] lives. And whereas service jobs
[58:45] assist veterans and those who
[58:45] sacrificed for our nation,
[58:46] providing faithful
[58:47] companionship and train support
[58:48] so their human partners can
[58:52] meet the demands of life with
[58:54] confidence, independence and
[58:54] purpose and whereas increase
[58:56] public awareness about the role
[58:59] of service dogs helps Foster a
[59:02] community of inclusivity
[59:03] accessibility and hospitality
[59:06] where individuals of all
[59:06] abilities are
[59:08] welcome supported and respected
[59:09] now therefore I councilmember
[59:12] brain to Gabbert on behalf of
[59:13] Kenneth t Welsh the mayor
[59:16] of the city of St. Petersburg
[59:19] do hereby declare Sept. 20
[59:19] 26 national service dog month
[59:44] >> So if anyone from dogs Inc
[59:47] would like to say a few words.
[59:52] >> Hello mayor Welch and
[59:53] council.
[59:53] Members my name is Leah Baxter
[59:54] and the media relations manager
[59:55] at dogs Inc I'm not sure if
[59:57] you're familiar with us.
[59:58] We were founded in
[1:00:01] 1982 southeastern guide dogs.
[1:00:03] And we were founded as a
[1:00:04] nonprofit organization to raise
[1:00:05] and train. Guide dogs for
[1:00:07] people with visual impairments
[1:00:11] since then we have expanded our
[1:00:11] programs to also serve gold
[1:00:12] star families local first
[1:00:14] responders children with vision
[1:00:18] loss as well as.
[1:00:19] Veterans with disabilities.
[1:00:21] Just wanted to say thank you
[1:00:22] for recognizing us in the work
[1:00:22] that we as well as countless
[1:00:23] other nonprofits do and we
[1:00:26] really appreciate your support.
[1:00:36] >> And now we'll be joined by
[1:00:36] lieutenant near Neuberger who
[1:00:37] is going to speak on behalf of
[1:00:39] Brady in shadow. Now you have
[1:00:40] to tell Brady story too please
[1:00:44] don't forget to talkback yes so
[1:00:46] first off.
[1:00:47] Thank you for having us.
[1:00:47] Brady was actually founded our
[1:00:50] drill grounds down by del homes
[1:00:52] Park. 4 years ago
[1:00:54] in 2022. It's pretty sick when
[1:00:58] we found him luckily found me.
[1:00:58] I'm lucky to have him. It's
[1:01:02] been a great partnership for us
[1:01:05] in my family, so.
[1:01:08] Yeah he's great.
[1:01:11] A little tired of waiting
[1:01:11] around that's right. Yeah.
[1:01:12] Still little puppy so he's got
[1:01:12] some puppy energy.
[1:01:13] But yeah are we started our
[1:01:16] canine program Saint Pete fire
[1:01:16] rescue earlier
[1:01:18] this year in APRIL. These dogs
[1:01:20] from provided tremendous
[1:01:23] service to our first responders
[1:01:24] both on the fireside and police
[1:01:25] and ems we've been used in
[1:01:28] several deployments around the
[1:01:29] state so far this year
[1:01:32] to provide comfort 2 agencies
[1:01:35] that are going through
[1:01:38] crisis or have a loss.
[1:01:39] >> Science has proven that
[1:01:40] these dogs have been great and
[1:01:40] all the facilities. So while
[1:01:41] shadow and Brady are the first
[1:01:44] we hope they are plenty more of
[1:01:45] them to come. So we're excited
[1:01:48] to get him in the stations and
[1:01:51] thank you for your support.
[1:01:56] >> Finally MADAM Chair, I just
[1:01:58] want to give a special
[1:01:59] shout-out or bark out to Saint
[1:02:00] Peter's Park for their
[1:02:03] partnership and honoring our
[1:02:04] service dogs.
[1:02:06] So we have treats compliments
[1:02:07] of the district to office and
[1:02:11] Saint Peter's Special shout out
[1:02:14] to them. They deserve.
[1:02:19] >> You know after looking at
[1:02:20] the agenda and seeing the dogs
[1:02:20] waiting for all the
[1:02:23] presentations they week we
[1:02:25] could probably
[1:02:26] put them first.
[1:02:27] Sure we do have one more
[1:02:29] speaker who would like to say
[1:02:30] something if that's
[1:02:31] yeah absolutely.
[1:02:31] Good afternoon. Mayor, a City
[1:02:33] Council committee members for
[1:02:37] thank you again for allowing
[1:02:38] does incorporate those who
[1:02:39] of community joining today.
[1:02:42] And the individual who for many
[1:02:42] years workforce, I used to
[1:02:45] work in temperature for many
[1:02:46] years. But in my later
[1:02:48] years developed a a eye
[1:02:48] condition called stars are
[1:02:50] starting out plus the
[1:02:52] opportunity to have the service
[1:02:55] dog. And it should be holding
[1:02:56] here helping me navigate you
[1:02:58] let lot of years but prior to
[1:03:01] that I had the opportunity by 5
[1:03:01] Tasha here. We also puppy
[1:03:02] raisers say that's too often
[1:03:05] has we there's a committee of
[1:03:06] volunteers.
[1:03:09] I mean the guide dogs sugar
[1:03:11] stalls and go from underdogs
[1:03:12] that represent doesn't that
[1:03:14] parade here or are in the
[1:03:17] community. So if you would like
[1:03:17] to be a a a puppy raiser who is
[1:03:18] joining the organization in
[1:03:20] doing that we're also blessed
[1:03:21] to be able to have our dogs
[1:03:24] trained very often so I wasn't
[1:03:25] fit. Remember Florida for
[1:03:26] 3 months about about 3 weeks
[1:03:29] part of me getting oriented and
[1:03:30] train them how to become a part
[1:03:31] of a dog. But we use
[1:03:33] downtown St. Petersburg as one
[1:03:34] of the training locations for
[1:03:38] the streets. That addition of
[1:03:41] traffic. Pedestrians
[1:03:41] stairs et cetera so thank you
[1:03:43] for the use of your love the
[1:03:44] city. Thank you for your
[1:03:44] support and I hope that we'll
[1:03:47] have the opportunity to grow a
[1:03:50] relationship going forward.
[1:04:00] >> Thank you and thank you all
[1:04:01] for
[1:04:02] waiting pet patiently, they
[1:04:02] were.
[1:04:05] Good dogs. So I think next year
[1:04:08] we're going to have to
[1:04:14] move them up the line though.
[1:04:15] It's meant to know. Well wait
[1:04:18] till. Let everyone have a
[1:04:19] chance to leave before we start
[1:04:20] with reports. Thank you all for
[1:04:23] being here and joining us
[1:04:26] today, it's good to see all.
[1:04:30] MADAM Chair.
[1:04:33] Yes I forgot because I didn't
[1:04:34] have it in front of me but if
[1:04:37] everyone loves Brady as much as
[1:04:37] I do he actually has his
[1:04:39] own instagram page.
[1:04:41] You can follow him at Brady in
[1:04:42] the Burg that is his handle.
[1:04:45] So he wanted to make sure
[1:04:47] everyone knew that Brady
[1:04:50] in the Burg Brady in the Burg
[1:04:53] Yep you know, thank you Al.
[1:05:01] >> It's giving them a moment
[1:05:04] too walk out. The next item up
[1:05:08] we have f one and we have Liz
[1:05:11] makowski here.
[1:05:11] >> Good afternoon chair and
[1:05:14] council members, I'm not as
[1:05:17] cute and cuddly
[1:05:21] as your previous prison.
[1:05:22] Olivia and mom.
[1:05:25] >> But today we're here to
[1:05:28] discuss
[1:05:28] 3 proposed changes to the
[1:05:29] city's fiscal policies.
[1:05:30] There's a memo resolution and a
[1:05:33] marked up version of the
[1:05:33] existing fiscal
[1:05:35] policies in the back up for the
[1:05:36] meeting and these changes were
[1:05:38] also reviewed and approved by
[1:05:41] the budget finance and taxation
[1:05:43] committee at their
[1:05:45] meeting on 8/3/2026. The first
[1:05:45] change can be found on page 9
[1:05:49] of the fiscal policies and it's
[1:05:50] related to the uses of ad
[1:05:51] valorem revenues the fiscal
[1:05:52] policies, currently state that
[1:05:53] had learned taxes shall be
[1:05:55] allocated to cover the cost of
[1:05:58] providing public safety to the
[1:06:00] city and the proposed change I
[1:06:01] would be at the language to
[1:06:03] clarify that we are required to
[1:06:06] make contributions to the
[1:06:07] city's tax increment
[1:06:08] financing districts and that
[1:06:11] they are made from the ad
[1:06:12] valorem tax
[1:06:14] revenues received by the city.
[1:06:15] The next change is on page 15
[1:06:16] and it is needed to update the
[1:06:19] fiscal policies with the fy 27
[1:06:21] rate study currently
[1:06:21] and the pay as you go
[1:06:24] improvement section, the policy
[1:06:27] states that the annual rate
[1:06:29] study for fy teen fy 18 set a
[1:06:30] target of 50% cash and other
[1:06:32] resources and 50% bond funding
[1:06:35] ratio for the city's public
[1:06:36] utility and that that target
[1:06:37] has been met. The proposed
[1:06:40] change would remove the
[1:06:41] language that states that
[1:06:42] target has been met and
[1:06:45] replaced with language stating
[1:06:46] that this target continues as
[1:06:47] a general guideline for the
[1:06:48] city's program due to the
[1:06:50] temporary move from the
[1:06:51] fifty-fifty target for the
[1:06:54] stormwater portion of the
[1:06:54] utility
[1:06:58] and the fy 27 rate study.
[1:06:58] And the
[1:06:59] last change is on page 18 and
[1:07:01] comes from a request from the
[1:07:02] committee the budget and
[1:07:04] finance and taxation committee
[1:07:06] during their Jan. 29th meeting
[1:07:07] at their request was to add a
[1:07:08] framework to the fiscal
[1:07:11] policies for using the economic
[1:07:13] stability fund to support
[1:07:16] affordable housing. Similar to
[1:07:17] the framework established for
[1:07:18] national disaster natural
[1:07:21] disasters and under section b b
[1:07:24] 3 of the fiscal policies.
[1:07:25] We added a
[1:07:26] that provides this framework.
[1:07:27] And thank you there's any
[1:07:27] questions thank you
[1:07:29] councilmember Curtis, thank you
[1:07:31] MADAM Chair just quickly there
[1:07:34] was some comment during open
[1:07:35] forum about
[1:07:36] the language I just want to
[1:07:39] make it clear the language that
[1:07:39] we're
[1:07:40] changing is to codify the
[1:07:43] required contribution above the
[1:07:46] threshold for that f from the
[1:07:50] general fund to that fund
[1:07:51] not any other ad valorem but
[1:07:53] only for the ad valorem inside
[1:07:54] of those 2 areas above the
[1:07:55] threshold that we are required
[1:07:58] to make that transfer that's
[1:08:00] correct and and
[1:08:01] also we're having a
[1:08:04] conversation about shortening
[1:08:06] the length
[1:08:07] of a cra and so this is just
[1:08:10] the above the threshold inside
[1:08:11] of those tif areas, not
[1:08:13] anything there is not more
[1:08:14] money going to tip then there
[1:08:15] has been in the past. So I just
[1:08:18] wanted to make sure that was
[1:08:20] very clear.
[1:08:22] I can't I can't answer any
[1:08:23] question sorry, I'm sure some
[1:08:26] of us will be around if you
[1:08:27] want to get us when we break
[1:08:28] and so I just wanted to make
[1:08:30] that very clear so thank you
[1:08:33] for that distinction otherwise.
[1:08:33] Thank you for having these
[1:08:34] conversations inside of the
[1:08:37] oven to this is helpful I think
[1:08:39] all of these
[1:08:40] recommendations are needed and
[1:08:41] I appreciated all the input be
[1:08:44] a fun to you know move approval
[1:08:47] and I can.
[1:08:47] We haven't like you might think
[1:08:49] you councilmember Hardin thank
[1:08:52] you chair. Councilmember guard
[1:08:53] us actually answer my big.
[1:08:56] We are asked my big question
[1:08:59] thank you very much. Part 3.
[1:09:08] >> That the.
[1:09:09] >> This is that the question
[1:09:11] asking us in this form as I
[1:09:12] understand it that the way and
[1:09:13] it's legal. The way that we
[1:09:17] created the the economic
[1:09:20] stability fund.
[1:09:21] It doesn't allow for what we
[1:09:22] are currently doesn't stipulate
[1:09:24] what we're currently doing with
[1:09:25] it.
[1:09:27] So it would so any time we want
[1:09:28] to use the economic stability
[1:09:30] fund it would still have to
[1:09:30] come back to City Council.
[1:09:33] If I'm not mistaken is that
[1:09:35] correct.
[1:09:35] Yeah that's okay that'll
[1:09:36] continue to be a struggle for
[1:09:39] me because that's the that
[1:09:40] wasn't the original
[1:09:41] intention Council can do
[1:09:43] whatever we want do on that
[1:09:43] side but just one clarification
[1:09:44] on that and other than that
[1:09:45] thank you very much
[1:09:48] councilmember to says and my
[1:09:51] question for me,
[1:09:53] thank you.
[1:09:56] Thank you, I hear Floyd thanks
[1:09:56] I'm gonna piggyback on the
[1:09:57] original discussion just real
[1:09:57] quick.
[1:09:58] Money collected in the.
[1:09:58] Geographical areas where
[1:10:01] there's a tif district goes to
[1:10:03] the general fund and
[1:10:03] then we transfer to the test.
[1:10:04] That's correct and we have been
[1:10:05] doing it we just wanted to make
[1:10:06] it clear yes, thank you just
[1:10:09] wanted to say that explicitly
[1:10:12] thank you.
[1:10:14] >> And just to be even clearer.
[1:10:15] It's just what.
[1:10:16] The law requires I mean at the
[1:10:19] end of the day you have to the
[1:10:21] money has
[1:10:22] to go into the general fund but
[1:10:22] because we have the cra's those
[1:10:23] monies have to go back into the
[1:10:27] series and that's that's just
[1:10:28] how it works.
[1:10:28] Okay we have a motion a second
[1:10:29] clerk if you can open a machine
[1:10:32] for voting council members
[1:10:34] please enter.
[1:10:35] >> The Depression council
[1:10:35] members voted clerk please
[1:10:38] telling out to vote. Chair
[1:10:41] motion to adjourn, you know.
[1:11:05] >> But ash f 2 I feel like we
[1:11:07] haven't seen you for a while.
[1:11:11] Aaron engineer that can help
[1:11:14] us.
[1:11:24] >> In the room and you can get.
[1:11:25] >> It will be some of that that
[1:11:25] again. One of us can't talk
[1:11:28] anymore. You might see on the
[1:11:31] beach manna from heaven.
[1:11:34] Okay we're good seems like.
[1:11:43] >> It a causal British from an
[1:11:45] engine and capital improvements
[1:11:46] department and today we bring
[1:11:50] to you and a lot of
[1:11:52] construction contract.
[1:11:53] 4 some drainage moments on 50th
[1:11:55] and 7th Street in that general
[1:11:59] neighborhood.
[1:12:00] It's.
[1:12:01] >> The commitment that we on.
[1:12:04] Well des 6 City Council
[1:12:04] approved the cse contracts
[1:12:05] as part of that approval.
[1:12:07] I mentioned that if this is
[1:12:10] approved by SEPTEMBER we can
[1:12:11] bring construction contract.
[1:12:11] That's all we fish and this
[1:12:12] process can be. This is just
[1:12:15] really that fun lock on it too
[1:12:18] sure and you know to follow
[1:12:19] up on the trust
[1:12:20] that you're given to us as far
[1:12:21] as a proving that process.
[1:12:21] But I will also want to
[1:12:25] implement mentioned that we
[1:12:25] implementing some really
[1:12:27] interesting elements as part of
[1:12:28] this project. So while we're
[1:12:29] looking to to storm water
[1:12:32] improvements along 50th Street
[1:12:34] and 15th Avenue from 4th Street
[1:12:37] to 7th. And then north from 7
[1:12:38] to what's
[1:12:39] 50th at 54th Avenue Canal.
[1:12:42] The ultimate discharge just to
[1:12:43] give you a size of the capacity
[1:12:44] that will be out into the
[1:12:47] system when you connect to 55
[1:12:49] 54,000 to now
[1:12:52] it's a it by 7, 8, by 6 blocks
[1:12:53] clove so it's taller than me on
[1:12:56] see why didn't mean to white if
[1:12:59] I was a teen.
[1:13:02] >> So what will also implement
[1:13:03] a spot is project to
[1:13:06] 7 wants a quality Hydro plant
[1:13:09] us. So what also commitment to
[1:13:10] Woods low-impact design green
[1:13:11] infrastructure, but also
[1:13:13] helping to offset floodplain
[1:13:17] inbox so several of these will
[1:13:20] be installed along 50 it
[1:13:22] Avenue itself. Each one of the
[1:13:23] structures will house trees
[1:13:25] within it, but it's a build
[1:13:28] system meaning it has e
[1:13:29] treatment process built within
[1:13:32] it. Sitting type of aggregate.
[1:13:36] So it allows not a tin you isha
[1:13:38] of water within
[1:13:39] the system so we have some
[1:13:41] storage capacity. But what it
[1:13:42] also does is it
[1:13:43] provides water quality
[1:13:46] benefits. So it's not just a
[1:13:47] normal storm want a system that
[1:13:50] has a drainage in that water
[1:13:53] flows in and then flows out
[1:13:53] we're doing all apart as well
[1:13:55] to help improve the water
[1:13:56] quality but also provide here
[1:13:57] is that we get all stepped on
[1:13:58] the flood plain. One of the
[1:14:01] other benefits as part of this
[1:14:01] is trees not really grew
[1:14:05] whether routes get the water.
[1:14:07] So because well within
[1:14:09] that box truck itself. The
[1:14:10] roots now grew into it and it
[1:14:11] has a direct assistance.
[1:14:11] It's a self-sustaining system.
[1:14:13] So it's absorbing the new
[1:14:16] trends within the same system
[1:14:18] that is
[1:14:19] we are discharging nutrients
[1:14:20] to. Now this project ultimately
[1:14:21] we're looking to stop
[1:14:23] construction at the beginning
[1:14:26] of the next year. Why coming up
[1:14:27] on Thanksgiving. Also coming up
[1:14:30] on Christmas. We did an initial
[1:14:33] public meeting sometime.
[1:14:36] This project has some swift but
[1:14:37] funding tied to a 2.7 which
[1:14:38] will waiting on that approval
[1:14:40] process. We have that funding
[1:14:41] right now moving forward into
[1:14:44] the construction fees. So
[1:14:45] before we get into actual
[1:14:46] construction. We want to get
[1:14:49] back over that neighborhood
[1:14:52] again so in mid NOVEMBER to
[1:14:52] early DECEMBER
[1:14:53] replying to also do another
[1:14:54] public outreach where will
[1:14:56] brief the residents as far as
[1:14:59] what we can expect to see
[1:14:59] during construction. The
[1:15:01] drainage projects by nature of
[1:15:02] this magnitude capital projects
[1:15:03] take up everything from could
[1:15:04] get to so it's going to be a
[1:15:07] jet packs to the community.
[1:15:08] But we want
[1:15:09] to be with them with them to
[1:15:09] hear that can says the contract
[1:15:12] is also going to be that to
[1:15:13] hear that can
[1:15:13] since as we walked through the
[1:15:14] construction process with that
[1:15:17] I can take any questions and
[1:15:20] the council approved. Okay,
[1:15:23] go to public comment.
[1:15:24] The Herald sun approach the
[1:15:24] podium state your name and
[1:15:25] address across streets. You
[1:15:27] have 2 minutes to address to
[1:15:30] the council.
[1:15:33] >> ok Cathy haralson 32th
[1:15:37] Avenue North and 26 Street.
[1:15:41] Doing this hybrid plan or
[1:15:44] project I've seen those in
[1:15:44] other cities
[1:15:45] in Florida, Gainesville being
[1:15:48] one of them. One thing though
[1:15:49] that they do have in theirs.
[1:15:50] Our trees. Dan Simon and what
[1:15:53] I'm going to say well you ought
[1:15:55] to.
[1:15:57] But particularly cypress And
[1:15:58] I'm not saying it's appropriate
[1:16:01] here, but there could be others
[1:16:02] think of it is a dance.
[1:16:05] So much additional to the
[1:16:08] higher planners besides the
[1:16:08] rain garden elements
[1:16:10] and it up takes more water and
[1:16:13] it provides other services back
[1:16:16] to the neighborhood and
[1:16:19] obviously cooling habitat.
[1:16:20] Eventually uptake of co 2 and
[1:16:23] really it's it's you know, it's
[1:16:26] a nice visual presentation
[1:16:28] as far as that goes so I love
[1:16:30] what you're doing them. The
[1:16:33] magical Claude, and you know
[1:16:34] she said thank you. Only
[1:16:35] support this but I would love
[1:16:37] to see that additional element
[1:16:38] added if you can get with your
[1:16:39] designers and see if something
[1:16:42] like that would work. Thank
[1:16:45] you. Thank you.
[1:16:47] >> Theresa in its that you want
[1:16:48] you want to say something we
[1:16:48] already have trees and bought
[1:16:51] fits I can follow up with you
[1:16:52] off to
[1:16:55] yes. No note to end the details
[1:16:58] we do have plans in the engine.
[1:16:59] I love Inc
[1:16:59] 9 finds too great, but it's
[1:17:03] very hard to read. So we do
[1:17:04] plan on finding trees
[1:17:07] to the residents point that
[1:17:10] nutrient uptake it creates its
[1:17:10] own ecosystem so as it did
[1:17:12] going into phosphorus and
[1:17:12] nitrogen. It really helps us to
[1:17:16] the trees as well. So good
[1:17:19] points. Thank you.
[1:17:23] Reg some as usual.
[1:17:25] Just very high level that the
[1:17:26] this is a. Little bit bigger
[1:17:26] project than usual. Can you
[1:17:29] give us just a high-level time
[1:17:31] frame. I want a street to be
[1:17:35] torn up that kind of thing.
[1:17:38] Yes, Sir such a point.
[1:17:41] 54th Avenue Canal is not.
[1:17:43] >> So as part of that
[1:17:45] construction will have to build
[1:17:48] what we call a cough of them
[1:17:49] well actually try sheet piling
[1:17:50] into the can now so we could do
[1:17:53] you want to the system and
[1:17:54] remove that. Now we can
[1:17:57] actually build the foods piece
[1:17:59] of pipe.
[1:18:00] Now ultimately in stormwater
[1:18:00] systems or anything in that
[1:18:01] nature you want to stop on the
[1:18:03] list point and then moves back.
[1:18:08] You can text the can accept
[1:18:09] that and still gets good.
[1:18:11] It's not leaking put it into
[1:18:14] service. So when the bypassing
[1:18:16] it's like a moving train.
[1:18:19] So the section it's an
[1:18:20] operation as we take all
[1:18:21] distant session we get bypass
[1:18:22] around. So it's still providing
[1:18:23] a level of service on the storm
[1:18:24] want to while those in the
[1:18:27] middle section. Then we
[1:18:29] continue again. So
[1:18:30] that's generally how the
[1:18:31] construction sequence schools,
[1:18:34] we start from the tail move up
[1:18:37] to the head
[1:18:40] of the system. The outfall
[1:18:40] section the city did purchase a
[1:18:42] property without for this.
[1:18:43] So we do have that year will
[1:18:44] try to contain as much of the
[1:18:45] construction and then when we
[1:18:47] do end up construction of
[1:18:50] thoughtful but once we get into
[1:18:50] the road. The pipe is in the
[1:18:51] middle of the road we're going
[1:18:54] to work with residents, we have
[1:18:55] to put in some temporary
[1:18:57] access. For residents. The good
[1:18:58] thing is we do have a lot of
[1:19:01] right with this well. So that
[1:19:03] gives us the flexibility to
[1:19:04] shift the leads probably
[1:19:04] construction temporary ruled
[1:19:07] ways on a franchise if we need
[1:19:08] to which is actually the right
[1:19:12] away. So that we can see if the
[1:19:14] due to construction. Now
[1:19:15] by each of the pipe
[1:19:16] construction of stormwater to
[1:19:19] build capacity. The don't is
[1:19:22] the largest section as you get
[1:19:22] food, the upstream. The pipe
[1:19:23] gets smaller and smaller as
[1:19:24] well. It's kind of when you
[1:19:26] look at when you go to a
[1:19:27] restaurant and you see that big
[1:19:30] hvac by coming up. Item gets to
[1:19:30] the end
[1:19:31] of the room, it's a small pipe.
[1:19:32] That's essentially it's picking
[1:19:35] up a little bit of flu more for
[1:19:36] more. So as it gets bigger.
[1:19:39] As a off which are not lying.
[1:19:40] The pipe gets beat. So by the
[1:19:41] time we got get up to 4th
[1:19:44] Street will be probably putting
[1:19:47] in a 42 inch pipe.
[1:19:50] Impacts not to get less, but
[1:19:51] ultimately will be restored
[1:19:52] from could could. So be a new
[1:19:55] rule that construction will do
[1:19:58] some adjustments on the road we
[1:19:59] asked was love the shun
[1:20:00] to help with resiliency and
[1:20:02] sustainability but they don't
[1:20:03] ice to get Good point and
[1:20:06] that's why we want to get that
[1:20:07] and that NOVEMBER time frame
[1:20:09] DECEMBER to really meet with
[1:20:10] the residents. So
[1:20:11] they couldn't this time what
[1:20:11] they're going to see time frame
[1:20:14] for construction looking at
[1:20:15] about 360 d is for the overall
[1:20:16] time only because we have to
[1:20:18] break it up into small
[1:20:20] sections. We come
[1:20:21] rip apart that entire route
[1:20:23] from from 7 to 15, it's just
[1:20:26] going to impact the community
[1:20:27] so much so that's the
[1:20:29] downside of the biggest parts
[1:20:30] of construction. You have to do
[1:20:32] it in small pots to maintain
[1:20:35] access. So we try to do block
[1:20:36] sections. So
[1:20:38] that what is enough detour
[1:20:39] route as possible. Thank you
[1:20:40] for us the other question is on
[1:20:41] that. Again in the bigger
[1:20:43] picture. What are we solving
[1:20:46] what were we doing. The point
[1:20:48] so the objective of
[1:20:51] this is the storm of the system
[1:20:52] as it resides
[1:20:53] right now raging dye designed
[1:20:53] in 1950's.
[1:20:57] Now it's under capacity for the
[1:20:58] intensity of to Reno events
[1:21:00] that we received today. The
[1:21:02] other part of it based on
[1:21:03] historical trends, the actual
[1:21:04] rip measure trends of to to
[1:21:07] what the condition on the level
[1:21:10] of what to 54th Avenue has
[1:21:13] increased. So when we look at
[1:21:14] and council member governor I
[1:21:15] have discussed this when you
[1:21:18] look at that more tied record a
[1:21:21] title dita from the 1950's.
[1:21:22] No we will have the story I
[1:21:25] probably said it multiple times
[1:21:27] as well from residents
[1:21:28] we lived in this community.
[1:21:30] My parents live 10 o has never
[1:21:34] flooded and that is absolutely
[1:21:34] true because when you
[1:21:35] look at historical tidy to a
[1:21:38] new record it it toughen the
[1:21:42] 1950's to now.
[1:21:45] Extreme high tide.
[1:21:45] Is still Lou
[1:21:48] and extreme low tide that we
[1:21:52] received so what that means
[1:21:54] it is the stormwater system
[1:21:56] cannot operate efficiently.
[1:21:57] Because of that that's why we
[1:21:57] agree with the big pipe.
[1:22:00] So we're doing volumetric flow
[1:22:02] has it was to hydraulic.
[1:22:06] Thank you very much appreciate
[1:22:08] it. Thank you chair.
[1:22:08] Thank you.
[1:22:09] Councilmember Curtis, I only
[1:22:10] wanted to point out that that
[1:22:12] was precious high-level
[1:22:15] overview of all of that.
[1:22:18] Move approval, thanks peckish.
[1:22:21] I want to just 2.
[1:22:24] Ask what is the total cost of
[1:22:27] this project.
[1:22:27] So.
[1:22:30] The construction contract is
[1:22:32] about 6 million dollars
[1:22:32] 2.7 which is Grant funded.
[1:22:35] I do not have to design cost
[1:22:36] with me right now,
[1:22:36] but I can definitely get that.
[1:22:38] >> To Council one of the things
[1:22:39] I just want to point out you
[1:22:42] know is I just had a meeting
[1:22:45] with with my and 80%
[1:22:46] of their monies.
[1:22:52] It's funded by tax.
[1:22:52] >> So it's something to know.
[1:22:55] With what's happening.
[1:22:58] Amendment 3. It's you have
[1:23:01] different parts of.
[1:23:01] Our.
[1:23:03] Agencies that get funding the
[1:23:04] end up coming here and
[1:23:04] supporting us with Grant
[1:23:07] funding in their different
[1:23:08] effects that
[1:23:09] you automatically don't hear
[1:23:10] about and so this with my when
[1:23:13] I heard it was the first time I
[1:23:16] heard it so they provided
[1:23:18] about $3 million to this
[1:23:18] project.
[1:23:19] And also they've seen
[1:23:20] reductions in this one funding
[1:23:23] gap cities as well so
[1:23:27] absolutely correct for that.
[1:23:30] Thank you.
[1:23:30] Have a motion a second clerk if
[1:23:31] you can open the machine for
[1:23:32] boating council members please
[1:23:32] enter your votes. In present
[1:23:33] council members voted clerk
[1:23:34] police telling us vote. MADAM
[1:23:35] Chair motion to approve agenda
[1:23:35] if 2 passes unanimously, thank
[1:23:38] you and thank you protest in
[1:23:41] Clive.
[1:23:46] Next up to get to kunce Council
[1:23:49] committee reports h one this
[1:23:52] is councilmember gabbard
[1:23:52] triple.
[1:23:55] Thank you MADAM Chair from the
[1:23:56] hers committee from Aug.
[1:23:56] 27th 2020 said respectfully
[1:23:57] requesting report item to City
[1:23:59] Council on actions taken to
[1:24:02] address nuisance concerns and
[1:24:03] the child's Park neighborhood
[1:24:06] since Aug. 20 25, including an
[1:24:07] update on future cross
[1:24:08] departmental coordination and
[1:24:08] corrective action plan to
[1:24:11] address the nuisance going
[1:24:14] forward, and I so move
[1:24:17] thank you.
[1:24:18] >> And the motion a second we
[1:24:19] have public comment.
[1:24:19] Approaching the podium state
[1:24:20] your name and address and cross
[1:24:22] streets. You have 2 minutes to
[1:24:25] address City Council. Council
[1:24:28] members.
[1:24:29] While.
[1:24:30] Longtime feel like.
[1:24:30] So council brother John
[1:24:32] Muhammad PRESIDENT Of the South
[1:24:35] Park neighborhood Association
[1:24:36] and resident of Charles part,
[1:24:38] 46 Street and 15th Avenue
[1:24:39] South. And I'm here in support
[1:24:42] of item h one a first I want to
[1:24:44] say thank you thank you to
[1:24:45] councilmembers Gabbert dris
[1:24:47] cool vice-chair Floyd and gives
[1:24:50] you your for hearing our
[1:24:51] concerns at Hurst community.
[1:24:51] And unanimously moving this
[1:24:54] item forward. We also look
[1:24:55] forward to the administration
[1:24:57] being receptive and supportive
[1:24:58] of this work going forward to
[1:25:00] address this issue just wanted
[1:25:01] to be clear about what we're
[1:25:04] asking. We understand that the
[1:25:05] state and county have
[1:25:05] their own regulatory
[1:25:07] responsibilities. And so we're
[1:25:08] not asking the city to take
[1:25:10] over those responsibilities or
[1:25:11] interfere with those processes.
[1:25:14] We're asking the city to
[1:25:14] exercise the
[1:25:16] authority that belongs to the
[1:25:17] city. When residents repeatedly
[1:25:20] report a potential nuisance
[1:25:23] there is a process and
[1:25:24] that process is to receive the
[1:25:26] complaints investigate them,
[1:25:27] determine what laws and
[1:25:28] requirements apply determine
[1:25:30] whether violations exist and
[1:25:33] they require corrective action
[1:25:34] where appropriate as you all
[1:25:36] know 4 years of a child's part
[1:25:37] residents have reported
[1:25:38] recurring chemical and gas
[1:25:40] odors that interfere with the
[1:25:42] use and enjoyment of our homes
[1:25:43] and community. One of the
[1:25:44] challenges that we've
[1:25:46] encountered is that there seems
[1:25:48] to have been some confusion
[1:25:51] around whose responsibility it
[1:25:52] is and what can be done at the
[1:25:55] city level and so during the
[1:25:56] hearse committee we
[1:25:57] proved provided a list of city
[1:25:57] departments and areas of
[1:26:00] responsibility that we believe
[1:26:01] should be a part of a
[1:26:04] coordinated review. We're not
[1:26:04] asking the city or the
[1:26:07] administration to determine
[1:26:08] today. Or pre-determined what
[1:26:10] those departments will find I
[1:26:11] was simply asking to get around
[1:26:14] the same table look at the
[1:26:14] problem through their
[1:26:17] respective areas of
[1:26:18] responsibility and determine
[1:26:18] the appropriate path forward.
[1:26:20] That's really what this is all
[1:26:23] about coordination
[1:26:24] accountability and a clear path
[1:26:26] towards a resolution. The item
[1:26:29] for you simply asking what has
[1:26:31] the city done since Aug. 20 25.
[1:26:32] How would the appropriate
[1:26:35] department coordinate going
[1:26:35] forward and then what
[1:26:36] corrective action plan could
[1:26:39] look like. So again we continue
[1:26:39] as residents to do our part
[1:26:42] reporting what we smell.
[1:26:43] Documenting what our
[1:26:44] experiences aren't staying in
[1:26:47] games. And we're asking the
[1:26:47] city to continue to work with
[1:26:48] us follow the process
[1:26:49] coordinate the response and
[1:26:50] then let's work together
[1:26:51] towards a resolution that
[1:26:52] protects the health safety and
[1:26:52] quality of life for residents
[1:26:56] and much else Park. Thank you.
[1:26:59] Thank you
[1:27:00] councilmember Givens thank
[1:27:00] you chair on thank you very
[1:27:03] much for bringing this forward
[1:27:05] councilmember Gabbert just want
[1:27:05] to.
[1:27:06] Make mention that not only will
[1:27:09] we hope that this convert its
[1:27:11] conversation to
[1:27:11] more focus on the nuisances but
[1:27:13] also those environmental and
[1:27:13] public health concerns that's
[1:27:14] really what we want to hone in
[1:27:15] on Sir. Thank you so much for
[1:27:16] leading this effort brother
[1:27:17] John and the Charles Park
[1:27:20] neighborhood Association.
[1:27:23] Thank you chair.
[1:27:26] Thank you.
[1:27:27] Emotion, second clerk, if you
[1:27:27] can open the machine for
[1:27:28] voting. Council members please
[1:27:29] enter your votes in the
[1:27:29] Depression council members
[1:27:30] voted clerk please telling us,
[1:27:31] but CHAIRMAN To approve agenda
[1:27:32] h one passes unanimously, thank
[1:27:34] you and thank you again for
[1:27:37] joining us today.
[1:27:41] Nothings.
[1:27:41] Next up we have h 2
[1:27:42] councilmember Driscoll.
[1:27:43] Thank you and the economic and
[1:27:44] workforce development committee
[1:27:46] met on Aug. 27th, we have an
[1:27:48] action item has come from that
[1:27:51] and therefore I am respectfully
[1:27:52] requesting City Council
[1:27:53] approval to remove the
[1:27:56] following item from the
[1:27:57] economic and workforce
[1:27:58] development refer list. That
[1:28:01] item is advanced air mobility
[1:28:02] which is currently being and
[1:28:05] shepherded by councilmember
[1:28:07] hurting.
[1:28:08] I would like to add that this
[1:28:09] is not mean they have finished
[1:28:12] talking about advanced air
[1:28:15] mobility and I trust
[1:28:18] that when there is and a report
[1:28:19] from staff that can go to full
[1:28:22] Council or they can do a staff
[1:28:24] request for awd committee.
[1:28:26] But we are just getting started
[1:28:26] on this. The great new
[1:28:29] opportunities that can be
[1:28:33] presented by am
[1:28:33] as that moves forward
[1:28:34] without a move approval.
[1:28:35] And the motion a second
[1:28:38] councilmember Hardin thank you
[1:28:39] chair.
[1:28:41] Seems to make sense that the
[1:28:45] with that the phenomenal work
[1:28:45] that
[1:28:47] councilmember Mount airy did
[1:28:50] with the all those involved in
[1:28:52] the mobility study that
[1:28:55] that this comeback at some
[1:28:56] point in time as a as
[1:28:57] a bigger project to include.
[1:28:58] It concluded air mobility
[1:29:01] that's outside of the airport.
[1:29:01] What we see going on
[1:29:04] everywhere. So I'm I'm working
[1:29:07] on that and expect to have
[1:29:10] something in the
[1:29:13] Thanks for 6 weeks.
[1:29:14] Building on
[1:29:14] and what.
[1:29:15] That team did including
[1:29:16] including the the city as a
[1:29:16] whole. So that was kind of the
[1:29:17] genesis for removing it come
[1:29:20] back with something bigger.
[1:29:23] Thank you Sir.
[1:29:24] Thank you.
[1:29:25] We have a motion second we're
[1:29:28] competing of an issue voting.
[1:29:31] In
[1:29:33] present councilmember expect
[1:29:33] police telling us.
[1:29:34] MADAM Chair motion to approve
[1:29:35] agenda. H 2 passes unanimously.
[1:29:35] Thank you.
[1:29:38] Well, the next item is
[1:29:39] scheduled for 06:00pm and it is
[1:29:42] 4.30. So we will be adjourned
[1:29:45] till 06:00pm. The us.
[1:32:27] >> Cool.
[1:53:14] >> One.
[2:00:19] >> In
[2:16:46] >> Food.
[2:23:23] >> It just it.
[2:38:09] >> It's.
[2:52:07] >> In
[2:57:48] >> it got to that.
[2:59:36] >> Reconvenes
[2:59:36] were here for the fy 20 28st
[2:59:39] reading in first public hearing
[2:59:41] of the budget.
[2:59:42] We're going to follow a certain
[2:59:43] process that we're required to
[2:59:46] by law so there's going to be a
[2:59:49] a. Certain things that I have
[2:59:50] to read
[2:59:52] and go through that process.
[2:59:54] This is the star of the first
[2:59:55] public hearing on the fiscal
[2:59:56] year 2027 millage rate and
[2:59:59] budget the purpose of this
[3:00:02] public hearing is to discuss
[3:00:03] the mayors for recommended
[3:00:04] budget approved a proposed
[3:00:06] millage rate and approve the
[3:00:07] recommended budget
[3:00:08] appropriations ordinance for
[3:00:11] the fiscal year 2027 has a
[3:00:12] tentative budget for
[3:00:14] fiscal year 2027. Prior to
[3:00:15] public comment. The first
[3:00:15] substantive issue discussed
[3:00:17] Shelby the percentage increase
[3:00:20] in mileage over the rollback
[3:00:20] rate necessary to fund the
[3:00:24] budget if any and the specific
[3:00:25] purposes for which ad
[3:00:26] valorem tax revenues are being
[3:00:26] increase that issue will be
[3:00:28] discussed by the mayor and his
[3:00:31] staff after the title to the
[3:00:32] budget appropriations ordinance
[3:00:34] is Fred clerk if you can please
[3:00:38] read the title of the budget
[3:00:40] and appropriations chair pose
[3:00:41] ordinance number 6 for 7 h.
[3:00:41] In orange is making
[3:00:44] appropriations for the fiscal
[3:00:45] year ending 9/30/2027,
[3:00:46] making appropriations for the
[3:00:48] payment of the operating
[3:00:51] expenses of the city of St.
[3:00:53] Petersburg Florida, including
[3:00:54] its utilities and for the
[3:00:54] payment of principal and
[3:00:57] interest revenue bonds and
[3:00:58] other obligations of the city
[3:00:59] of St. Petersburg Florida
[3:01:00] making appropriations for the
[3:01:02] capital improvement program of
[3:01:02] the city of St. Petersburg
[3:01:04] Florida, making appropriations
[3:01:07] for the dependent special
[3:01:08] districts
[3:01:10] of the city of St. Petersburg
[3:01:10] Florida, adopting the this
[3:01:12] appropriations ordinance as the
[3:01:13] budget for the city of St.
[3:01:16] Petersburg Florida for the
[3:01:19] fiscal year ending 9/30/2027.
[3:01:20] Provided for related matters
[3:01:21] and providing in effect they
[3:01:24] and the second reading and
[3:01:24] second public hearing
[3:01:25] for this item that managers
[3:01:28] scheduled for 9/17/2026 and we
[3:01:30] do have some cards.
[3:01:30] Thank you.
[3:01:32] We move on out we have been to
[3:01:32] die for your marks by
[3:01:33] administration or straight to
[3:01:36] the presentation by this
[3:01:39] because thing.
[3:01:43] >> Good evening chair and
[3:01:44] council members before we begin
[3:01:45] this public hearing if anyone
[3:01:47] has specific questions or
[3:01:48] concerns regarding the assessed
[3:01:50] value of their property
[3:01:53] exemptions are classification
[3:01:54] related to your property were
[3:01:55] information on the trim
[3:01:57] notices. Tonight we have here
[3:01:58] with
[3:02:00] us Alex loop that with the he's
[3:02:00] the deputy of assessment
[3:02:02] administration the from the
[3:02:04] Pinellas County property
[3:02:05] appraiser's office. If anyone
[3:02:06] has questions on their property
[3:02:08] value or if you'd like to speak
[3:02:09] with them please follow him at
[3:02:12] this time and he'll be able to
[3:02:13] answer your questions.
[3:02:15] For those attending virtually
[3:02:16] please contact the Pinellas
[3:02:19] County property appraiser's
[3:02:22] office at 7 to 7
[3:02:25] 464-3207. Mon. Through Fri.
[3:02:28] 08:00am to 05:00pm.
[3:02:32] This evening is the first of 2
[3:02:36] public hearings on the fiscal
[3:02:39] year 2027 budget for the
[3:02:39] city of St. Petersburg
[3:02:41] Florida statutes 200.0 6, 5,
[3:02:44] Also known as the truth in
[3:02:45] millage act or referred to as
[3:02:47] the trim act requires a
[3:02:49] specific process for discussion
[3:02:52] tonight. The order of this
[3:02:53] process is laid out in
[3:02:54] of the backup materials.
[3:02:58] The city clerk has provided the
[3:02:58] first reading of the
[3:02:59] 20 f y 27 tentative budget
[3:03:01] ordinance and in just a moment
[3:03:04] I will review with Council and
[3:03:05] the public. The tentative fy 27
[3:03:08] budget and highlight some of
[3:03:09] the changes since the mayor's
[3:03:09] recommended budget. We will
[3:03:10] then hear from the public upon
[3:03:13] conclusion of this budget
[3:03:15] presentation.
[3:03:19] After the public comment period
[3:03:19] and additional discussion in
[3:03:20] double deliberation by City
[3:03:23] Council Council will be asked
[3:03:23] to take action on 3 items and
[3:03:25] each of these items will need
[3:03:26] to be done as a stand-alone
[3:03:27] motion. The first is the
[3:03:31] adoption of the proposed
[3:03:32] millage rate for fy 27.
[3:03:35] The second is the adoption of
[3:03:36] the
[3:03:36] fy 27 tentative budget
[3:03:40] ordinance and the 3rd is the
[3:03:41] adoption of the fy 27 budget
[3:03:41] resolution as the tentative
[3:03:44] budget for the city of St.
[3:03:47] Petersburg.
[3:03:48] So under the trim process, the
[3:03:49] first item of substance to be
[3:03:52] discussed percent increase if
[3:03:55] any in mileage.
[3:03:58] Over the rollback rate for the
[3:04:01] purposes of the fy 27 budget
[3:04:02] the rollback rate is 6 0.3 8,
[3:04:03] 5, 4, And as the millage rate
[3:04:07] that would generate roughly the
[3:04:07] same amount of ad
[3:04:10] valorem revenues and fy 27 as
[3:04:11] the
[3:04:13] city received in fy 26. Under
[3:04:14] that run statutes who are
[3:04:15] allowed to recognize ad valorem
[3:04:17] revenue associated with new
[3:04:19] taxable value added to the tax
[3:04:23] base. So the rollback rate
[3:04:25] generate slightly higher
[3:04:25] revenues and 27th in the city
[3:04:28] is scheduled to receive in fy
[3:04:31] 26. The proposed fy 27 millage
[3:04:34] rate is 6.4 5, 2, 5, and
[3:04:36] represents a one
[3:04:36] 0, 5%, increase over the
[3:04:37] rollback rate. The
[3:04:40] year-over-year increase in ad
[3:04:41] valorem revenue from fy 26 to
[3:04:44] fy 27. It's about 14.8 1 6
[3:04:47] million.
[3:04:49] The second step in the state
[3:04:50] required Trump process is to
[3:04:53] discuss the reasons ad valorem
[3:04:54] tax revenues are being
[3:04:57] increased. All ad valorem
[3:04:58] revenues go towards funding
[3:04:59] the city's public safety costs
[3:05:02] at the Rick after the required
[3:05:03] tax increment finding
[3:05:04] Dist financing district
[3:05:05] contributions. The main reason
[3:05:08] for the increase in ad valorem
[3:05:10] revenue for fy 27 is to provide
[3:05:11] the resources needed for
[3:05:13] contracted wage increases for
[3:05:15] police and fire rescue
[3:05:16] employees. The addition of 6
[3:05:19] were in positions and the fire
[3:05:19] rescue department related to
[3:05:22] the additional floating our day
[3:05:24] included in the union
[3:05:25] contract, roughly 27 and to
[3:05:26] cover contractual increases,
[3:05:29] including increases to the
[3:05:31] Collin axon programs.
[3:05:33] The key areas of investment
[3:05:37] plan for the fy 27 citywide
[3:05:39] budget are line with
[3:05:40] the mayor's 5 pillars for
[3:05:41] progress. For the education and
[3:05:41] youth opportunities pillar
[3:05:44] there's funding to continue
[3:05:46] programs such as the mayor's
[3:05:46] future readiness Academy.
[3:05:49] Year-round youth employment
[3:05:50] programs. Youth development
[3:05:53] grants and literacy and steam
[3:05:57] programs such as the Shirley
[3:05:58] Proctor polar Foundation and
[3:05:59] usf Marine Science Center at
[3:06:02] clam Bayou under the equitable
[3:06:02] development arts and business
[3:06:03] opportunities pillar. We look
[3:06:04] to fund the continuation of
[3:06:05] many of our economic and
[3:06:08] workforce development and arts
[3:06:09] programs.
[3:06:11] In the neighborhood health and
[3:06:14] safety pillar we're continuing
[3:06:15] to fund neighborhood in public
[3:06:16] safety programs like the
[3:06:17] community impact grants and
[3:06:18] programs the healthy
[3:06:19] neighborhood store program and
[3:06:22] the healthy food action
[3:06:24] program. For
[3:06:25] the housing opportunities for
[3:06:27] all pillar. There will be funny
[3:06:30] to continue our progress on the
[3:06:32] 10 year housing opportunities
[3:06:33] for all agenda and to provide
[3:06:36] resources for social service
[3:06:39] programs.
[3:06:39] And finally in the environment.
[3:06:40] >> Infrastructure and
[3:06:42] resilience color. The
[3:06:45] preliminary budget will
[3:06:46] have funding for projects.
[3:06:48] That protect our environment
[3:06:51] and increase our resilience
[3:06:52] and improve our city's
[3:06:53] infrastructure.
[3:06:53] Including the Saint Pete
[3:06:54] resistance resilience or spark
[3:06:54] program and increase funding
[3:06:57] for Street and road
[3:06:58] improvements
[3:06:59] and the complete streets
[3:07:02] program. The increase in ad
[3:07:04] valorem taxes based on a 6
[3:07:05] point I ate 5% increase in 2026
[3:07:08] taxable property values over
[3:07:10] 2025.
[3:07:10] This chart shows the 10 year
[3:07:14] history of property tax
[3:07:15] revenues in
[3:07:16] relation to public safety
[3:07:16] costs.
[3:07:19] You can see that in fy 27 after
[3:07:21] accounting
[3:07:21] for the transfer to the tif
[3:07:22] funds ad valorem avenues will
[3:07:23] cover all of police and a
[3:07:25] portion of the fire rescue
[3:07:28] costs for the city.
[3:07:32] This next slide illustrates the
[3:07:33] calculation of the millage
[3:07:36] rate for fy 27. The first step
[3:07:37] in the calculation
[3:07:38] is to determine the value of
[3:07:39] one mill to do this we take the
[3:07:41] girls property value of amount
[3:07:45] of 39.3 4 1 billion and then
[3:07:48] multiply it
[3:07:51] by 96% which results in 37.7
[3:07:52] 6 7 billion in value for
[3:07:54] budgeting purposes. We then
[3:07:58] divide the 96% of gross taxable
[3:08:01] out by 1000 and that gives
[3:08:03] us the Valley of one mill
[3:08:06] at 37.7 6 7 million. The second
[3:08:09] step is to look at our fy 27
[3:08:10] general fund requirements of
[3:08:11] 437.3 to 5 million and that out
[3:08:14] the other sources of sources of
[3:08:17] revenue other than ad valorem
[3:08:18] which amount to a 193.6
[3:08:20] million. And we arrive at the
[3:08:23] amount of required ad valorem
[3:08:25] taxes of
[3:08:27] 243.6 9 1 million. The 3rd and
[3:08:29] final step is to divide the
[3:08:31] required ad valorem taxes which
[3:08:34] is so nice like be or as be on
[3:08:36] the side of up by the value
[3:08:36] of one mill which on the side
[3:08:40] to arrive at the 6.4 5, 2, 5,
[3:08:42] Mills required.
[3:08:43] This next slide illustrates a
[3:08:46] typical tax bill for the
[3:08:47] resident of
[3:08:48] the city of St. Petersburg the
[3:08:51] city of St. Petersburg makes up
[3:08:53] about
[3:08:53] 30% of this homeowner's tax
[3:08:56] bill or $0.30 of every ad
[3:08:57] valorem dollar
[3:08:58] paid by property owners.
[3:08:59] The school system with these 2
[3:09:01] components of their tax bill
[3:09:04] would make up about 36%
[3:09:07] Pinellas County at 22%.
[3:09:10] The balance of 12% is made up
[3:09:10] of the various other taxing
[3:09:11] authorities like ems and
[3:09:14] Southwest, Florida water
[3:09:17] Management District.
[3:09:19] We will now
[3:09:20] move into a discussion of the
[3:09:23] changes in the fy 27 budget
[3:09:24] since
[3:09:25] the mayor's recommended budget
[3:09:25] was submitted. All of this
[3:09:29] information is included in more
[3:09:29] detail in
[3:09:31] attachment be on the recap of
[3:09:32] changes. And for the revenue in
[3:09:32] the general fund there have
[3:09:35] been no changes since the
[3:09:39] recommended budget.
[3:09:40] The changes in requirement or
[3:09:41] expenditures in the general
[3:09:44] fund can be packed found on
[3:09:47] Page one of the attachment b.
[3:09:48] There was a citywide change to
[3:09:51] the department's internal fuel
[3:09:54] budgets to reflect the
[3:09:56] increased cost of fuel about
[3:09:57] $446,440. And the department
[3:10:01] specific details of the changes
[3:10:01] are again available on
[3:10:02] the attachment b recap the
[3:10:05] changes. There's also a change
[3:10:06] in the stormwater pavement
[3:10:08] and traffic operation
[3:10:10] department due to position
[3:10:11] changes in fy 26 since the
[3:10:14] recommended budget and there's
[3:10:14] a change in the out in the
[3:10:17] net change needed to bounce the
[3:10:21] general fund.
[3:10:21] The information on revenue
[3:10:22] changes in the other city funds
[3:10:26] can be found on page 2 of
[3:10:29] attachment b.
[3:10:30] The changes in the community
[3:10:32] development block grant.
[3:10:33] The emergency solutions Grant
[3:10:36] and the home program funds are
[3:10:37] to account for changes
[3:10:38] unexpected Grant revenues for
[3:10:39] fy 27. The change in the fleet
[3:10:42] management fund corresponds to
[3:10:43] the increase in fuel charges to
[3:10:45] other departments and all the
[3:10:47] other revenue changes listed
[3:10:50] are needed to match the utility
[3:10:53] rate study for fy 27.
[3:10:55] The requirement or
[3:10:56] expense changes for the other
[3:10:58] city funds are broken down and
[3:10:59] pay just 2, 3 of the recap of
[3:11:02] changes and are shown over the
[3:11:04] next few slides.
[3:11:06] There's a change in the
[3:11:07] emergency medical services fund
[3:11:10] and this is due to position
[3:11:12] changes in fy 26 insurrection
[3:11:13] minute budget. There are
[3:11:16] changes in the parking revenue
[3:11:18] Mahaffey theater operating.
[3:11:21] Pierre operating, sunken
[3:11:22] gardens airport Marina golf
[3:11:25] courses Jamestown municipal
[3:11:25] office buildings and the supply
[3:11:27] management funds and these are
[3:11:28] all due to the increase in the
[3:11:28] internal fuel charges that we
[3:11:31] discussed in the earlier slide.
[3:11:33] The changes in the
[3:11:36] building permit special
[3:11:37] revenue, the technology
[3:11:38] services and the billion
[3:11:39] collection funds are due to a
[3:11:42] combination of position changes
[3:11:43] in fy 26 since the recommended
[3:11:46] budget and the increase in the
[3:11:48] internal fuel charges.
[3:11:49] The changes in the community
[3:11:52] development block grant.
[3:11:53] Emergency
[3:11:53] solutions Grant in the home
[3:11:56] program funds again to account
[3:11:57] for the changes the expected
[3:12:00] Grant revenues for fy 27.
[3:12:01] And for the
[3:12:04] water resources, water
[3:12:05] resources debt stormwater
[3:12:05] utility and storm water debt
[3:12:06] service changes are mainly to
[3:12:09] update the budget amounts to
[3:12:10] correspond with
[3:12:13] the fy 27 rate study the water
[3:12:14] resources operating fund also
[3:12:17] has increase is due to fy 26
[3:12:18] position
[3:12:18] transaction changes and
[3:12:20] internal fuel charges and the
[3:12:23] stormwater utility fund
[3:12:24] includes a correction to
[3:12:24] the general ministration
[3:12:25] charges assigned to the fun and
[3:12:28] increases to engineering costs
[3:12:30] and internal fuel charges.
[3:12:32] The change in the sanitation
[3:12:33] operating fund is due to an
[3:12:36] increase in fuel charges as
[3:12:37] well as a correction to the
[3:12:38] general administration charges
[3:12:39] assigned to the fun and finally
[3:12:40] the change in the fleet
[3:12:41] management fund is due to the
[3:12:44] increases in the cost of fuel.
[3:12:47] There are 2 changes on the
[3:12:48] revenue side of our cip program
[3:12:52] and they're found on page 4 of
[3:12:55] attachment b.
[3:12:57] For the fy 27 utility rate
[3:12:58] study conducted in fy 26 and
[3:13:01] presented to Council on Aug.
[3:13:01] 13th.
[3:13:05] >> 2026. Capacity fees in the
[3:13:05] water resources capital
[3:13:09] project fund increased 490,000.
[3:13:09] And future
[3:13:10] borrowings increased 245,000
[3:13:12] and the transfer from the water
[3:13:15] resources operating fund
[3:13:16] decreased
[3:13:19] by 245,000 in order to maintain
[3:13:20] the
[3:13:21] 50 fishy fifty-fifty cash to
[3:13:23] get funding ratio. Also in the
[3:13:25] storm water drainage capital
[3:13:26] project fund the cast of that
[3:13:29] funding ratio was changed from
[3:13:32] 5050 to 3070 for fy 27. And
[3:13:34] this net change to revenue 0.
[3:13:36] However debt funding from
[3:13:40] future barring increased by 7.4
[3:13:41] 5 million and various Grant
[3:13:41] revenue increased by half a
[3:13:43] million. And then the transfer
[3:13:44] from the stormwater utility
[3:13:47] operating fund decreased by 7.9
[3:13:50] 5 million.
[3:13:51] >> There is one change on the
[3:13:52] requirement side of our cip
[3:13:55] program again also on page 4 of
[3:13:57] attachment b.
[3:14:00] >> And this is again related to
[3:14:03] the fy 27 utility rates study
[3:14:05] that was conducted in fy
[3:14:05] 26 and presented to City
[3:14:06] Council and this is the
[3:14:07] transfer to the water resources
[3:14:08] debt fund from the water
[3:14:12] resource capital project fund
[3:14:15] increased by 490,000.
[3:14:19] >> This next section will give
[3:14:20] a quick overview using tables
[3:14:22] charts and graphs to illustrate
[3:14:23] the city's fy 27 budget.
[3:14:26] These tables are included in
[3:14:27] the
[3:14:27] fy 27 budget and brief which
[3:14:28] has been posted on the city's
[3:14:31] website and we did pass out
[3:14:34] today as well.
[3:14:35] The total operating revenue
[3:14:39] budget for the city for fy 27
[3:14:40] is
[3:14:40] 1.0 4 7 billion.
[3:14:43] Charges for services make up
[3:14:47] the largest category at 449.6
[3:14:50] million about 42.9%
[3:14:53] followed by taxes at
[3:14:56] 3322.9 million or 30.8%.
[3:15:00] The fy 27 operating
[3:15:01] budget is one
[3:15:04] 0, 1, 8 billion and is about
[3:15:05] 4.2 5% higher than the 26
[3:15:06] operating budget. The water
[3:15:10] resources operating fund
[3:15:10] decreased by about
[3:15:14] 0.5 5% year-over-year and the
[3:15:16] general fund reserves
[3:15:19] budget increased by 6.2 6% from
[3:15:23] 412.4 to 438.2 million.
[3:15:26] The total general
[3:15:27] fund revenue budget is
[3:15:30] 437.3 to 5 million. And the
[3:15:31] general fund revenue comes
[3:15:34] from various sources. The
[3:15:34] largest single source of
[3:15:36] revenue, our taxes, including
[3:15:39] ad valorem franchise and
[3:15:42] utility taxes at about 73.8% or
[3:15:45] 322.8 9 million. Highland
[3:15:46] Indiana is the second largest
[3:15:49] source at 42.4 million or 9.7%.
[3:15:55] The total general
[3:15:58] fund expenditure budget for fy
[3:15:59] 27 is also 437.3 to 5 million
[3:16:03] and the city's general fund is
[3:16:04] categorized into the 6
[3:16:05] city administrations. The
[3:16:07] single largest general fund
[3:16:07] investment made by the city is
[3:16:11] in the public safety
[3:16:14] Administration at 55.0 7%
[3:16:15] includes the police and fire
[3:16:16] rescue departments. The general
[3:16:19] government administration makes
[3:16:20] up the next largest category
[3:16:24] at 18.9% and includes
[3:16:24] departments such as
[3:16:26] budget finance legal and human
[3:16:27] resources. And the 3rd largest
[3:16:28] general fund investment is in
[3:16:32] the community enrichment and
[3:16:33] administration at 16.3 3% and
[3:16:36] includes parks and Recreation
[3:16:38] and libraries department.
[3:16:41] This chart shows the general
[3:16:42] fund budget broke down by
[3:16:45] expenditure type the single
[3:16:46] largest expenditure category
[3:16:49] the general fund is wages and
[3:16:52] benefits at 299.5 9 3 million
[3:16:53] or 16.5% of the total budget
[3:16:56] services and commodities make
[3:16:57] up the
[3:17:00] next biggest slice at 85.8
[3:17:03] million or 19.6%.
[3:17:06] The fy
[3:17:09] 27 cip budget includes a total
[3:17:10] of a 196.5 5 1 million in
[3:17:11] capital projects. The water
[3:17:15] resources projects account for
[3:17:18] 112.4 7 million or 57.2%
[3:17:21] stormwater projects account for
[3:17:25] 37.2 5 million or 18.9 5%
[3:17:25] and penny for Pinellas projects
[3:17:28] account for 34 point. Sierra
[3:17:32] for 7 million or 17.3 2%.
[3:17:35] The total for the five-year cip
[3:17:38] plan is 1.1 9 1 billion.
[3:17:42] This slide shows the fund
[3:17:43] balance commitment categories
[3:17:45] Council any to reaffirm these
[3:17:46] or other categories when the
[3:17:48] budget is adopted. However, the
[3:17:49] amounts to be set aside in each
[3:17:52] category did not need to be
[3:17:52] determined until the fy 26
[3:17:55] fiscal year is closed. And we
[3:17:56] have the actual year-end
[3:17:57] results. At that time we'll
[3:18:00] have a better idea how much fun
[3:18:01] balances available to allocate
[3:18:02] each category. And the
[3:18:03] commitment categories can then
[3:18:04] be funded as part of the year
[3:18:07] in cleanup ordinance in
[3:18:08] NOVEMBER.
[3:18:11] And in closing the second and
[3:18:12] final budget public hearing
[3:18:13] will be held at City Council in
[3:18:17] Council chambers on Sept. 17th,
[3:18:18] 20 26 at 06:00pm
[3:18:19] and information on the city's
[3:18:22] budget is available on the
[3:18:25] city's website. Thank you.
[3:18:25] Thank you Liz.
[3:18:27] Well, this is the beginning of
[3:18:28] the public comment portion of
[3:18:28] the hearing the general public
[3:18:30] shall be allowed to speak and
[3:18:31] ask questions prior to the
[3:18:32] adoption of the proposed
[3:18:35] millage rate and 10th the
[3:18:42] budget by City Council
[3:18:45] >> If you call the first 2
[3:18:45] speakers.
[3:18:46] There's 2 speakers Lauren
[3:18:46] Hubert increased in. Approach
[3:18:47] the podium state your name and
[3:18:48] address across streets. You
[3:18:51] have 3 minutes to address City
[3:18:54] Council.
[3:19:01] >> And as Lauren Hunter and I
[3:19:04] reside at 1, 1, 1, 0, 3rd
[3:19:07] Street South. St. Petersburg
[3:19:08] Florida. 3, 3, 7, 0, 1,
[3:19:11] Respected councilmembers it's
[3:19:15] good to see all of you.
[3:19:15] I've been here before an
[3:19:18] oven Council doesn't argue with
[3:19:21] motion. They in fact really
[3:19:21] enjoy and appreciate facts.
[3:19:24] So that's what I'm here to talk
[3:19:25] about tonight. 6 months ago I
[3:19:26] came here, we talked about 31th
[3:19:27] Street. We talked about the
[3:19:30] Lakewood trail connector and I
[3:19:31] share concern about the safety.
[3:19:33] Because they also mentioned
[3:19:35] that we are an ecosystem
[3:19:37] and that this corridor is used
[3:19:40] for our you for maximo
[3:19:43] elementary school and also
[3:19:46] I messed up the last time I
[3:19:47] tried to talk about that too.
[3:19:50] Workers community records this
[3:19:51] is that corridor of how
[3:19:52] they get to where they need to
[3:19:54] go. So in 6 months time we
[3:19:55] talked about you know
[3:19:56] requesting support for that
[3:19:59] funding for the 31th Street
[3:20:00] survey and to help
[3:20:01] bring safety into
[3:20:02] accountability and to meet you
[3:20:05] also you could meet us we
[3:20:08] decided to.
[3:20:12] But also the founder of all the
[3:20:13] world's kids which
[3:20:14] is a local nonprofit here in
[3:20:16] Saint Pete. We received a level
[3:20:19] of city arts Grant this year
[3:20:20] and that was in
[3:20:20] the amount to $5,000 so 6
[3:20:21] months ago, and that was
[3:20:23] Kristen and we showed up to
[3:20:26] talk about what we could do to
[3:20:27] address the safety concerns
[3:20:29] essentially for the use of the
[3:20:31] area so we took that $5,000
[3:20:32] grant thank you so much for
[3:20:34] choosing us as a grantee and we
[3:20:38] turn that into $60,000 of
[3:20:41] effort. A community mural in
[3:20:43] partnership with 7 local
[3:20:45] artists and they help transform
[3:20:46] of 400 foot wall that I think
[3:20:47] is probably the longest
[3:20:49] community art mural here in St.
[3:20:52] Petersburg where in Pinellas
[3:20:55] County. I think we have a lot
[3:20:57] to work with to ask you to meet
[3:20:58] us, but the the thing, I'm
[3:21:00] still confused about is we
[3:21:03] don't see a line item for the
[3:21:04] trail. For 31th Street are
[3:21:07] completing the survey and so I
[3:21:07] think you know we've shown what
[3:21:08] we can do with a small gesture
[3:21:12] from you as a grant recipient
[3:21:12] and and maybe
[3:21:15] in SEPTEMBER when I show back
[3:21:17] up to ask if the line item has
[3:21:19] been addressed 31th Street will
[3:21:20] be on there because we just
[3:21:21] want to partner with you that's
[3:21:24] all we want to do is work with
[3:21:25] you to support our youth
[3:21:26] because where trails town and
[3:21:29] with the city of Saint Pete
[3:21:32] where the city of the arts.
[3:21:35] We finished, but we start.
[3:21:40] >> Good evening. My name is
[3:21:41] Kristen or look I live at 2386,
[3:21:44] cannot a circle West and I hope
[3:21:45] lead
[3:21:45] a non profit called connect
[3:21:47] Millis I'm here with an update
[3:21:49] on 31th Street South and Lake
[3:21:49] connector which is near maximal
[3:21:52] elementary, if you recall I was
[3:21:54] here back in APRIL discussing
[3:21:55] the same topic at the budgeting
[3:21:56] meeting to recap the connector
[3:21:59] runs under one to 75 and it
[3:22:00] provides what should be a safe
[3:22:00] access point across the
[3:22:02] highway.
[3:22:03] Between us
[3:22:04] 19 and 31th Street South
[3:22:06] instead it's a place most avoid
[3:22:10] going due to long-term neglect
[3:22:17] infrastructure issues and
[3:22:17] confusing wayfinding.
[3:22:18] Long-term residents. Also
[3:22:19] remember the tragic assault
[3:22:19] that occurred on a young girl
[3:22:20] there. Despite this is safety
[3:22:21] issues children and residents
[3:22:22] still use this path to walk to
[3:22:25] make back entry the spark line
[3:22:25] and jobs
[3:22:26] because it's their only safe
[3:22:27] option. It's incredibly
[3:22:30] important that this pathway be
[3:22:31] maintained an elevated as the
[3:22:31] other alternative is 54th
[3:22:34] Avenue South which is one of
[3:22:35] the most dangerous
[3:22:36] intersections in Pinellas
[3:22:39] County. The The community
[3:22:41] couldn't wait to act until the
[3:22:41] next budget meeting instead
[3:22:42] myself Laurin Hubbard from all
[3:22:44] the world's kids to the Talia
[3:22:47] brothers Lakewood estates,
[3:22:48] civic Association,
[3:22:50] private partners. Students and
[3:22:53] other partners came together to
[3:22:53] create a
[3:22:54] 400 foot art mural right on the
[3:22:55] connector. Councilmember fix
[3:22:57] Sanders, I know you were there
[3:22:58] and join us for the unveiling
[3:22:59] it was a great day. And the
[3:23:02] community turned a $5,000 city
[3:23:03] Grant into a $60,000
[3:23:06] investment through donated
[3:23:08] money labor and materials in
[3:23:09] addition to your nice grant
[3:23:09] that you gave us.
[3:23:10] We are proud of that
[3:23:11] accomplishment but you can't
[3:23:14] fix flooding poor sight lines
[3:23:14] and adequate
[3:23:15] security and years of deferred
[3:23:16] maintenance further the liquid
[3:23:19] trail connector is not an issue
[3:23:19] that stands alone. It goes hand
[3:23:22] in hand with the 31th Street
[3:23:22] South
[3:23:24] their 30 for Street South study
[3:23:25] should have been completed a
[3:23:26] year ago but work stopped and
[3:23:28] there's not been a great public
[3:23:29] explanation of why it's not
[3:23:31] completed to date. Residents
[3:23:34] are still waiting with nearly 2
[3:23:34] miles of this corridor not
[3:23:36] having a single crosswalk that
[3:23:36] is from the rays stadium to the
[3:23:38] Dali imagine not being able to
[3:23:38] cross the street. I don't think
[3:23:41] many of you be happy about
[3:23:43] that.
[3:23:44] Further we are working with
[3:23:46] fdot for Pinellas and city
[3:23:47] staff to find solutions their
[3:23:47] short-term solutions to make
[3:23:50] this area safer that require
[3:23:51] minimum work such
[3:23:52] as wayfinding and she coverage
[3:23:53] a private corporate donor is
[3:23:54] prepared to cover the cost of
[3:23:57] trees and even watering
[3:23:58] services along 31th Street
[3:23:58] South with the city's
[3:23:59] cooperation. The funding and
[3:24:02] partners are ready we're just
[3:24:03] waiting on the city's green
[3:24:04] light for a next step. The
[3:24:05] connector also needs immediate
[3:24:06] signage and maintenance and
[3:24:09] followed by a large redesigned
[3:24:10] to address flooding poor sight
[3:24:11] lines and structural problems
[3:24:14] that process requires the city
[3:24:15] to apply through 4 Pinellas for
[3:24:16] Grant and effort that is
[3:24:16] supported and suggested by fdot
[3:24:19] we cannot wait to the highway
[3:24:20] is redone to do this I'll be
[3:24:22] like 30 years. I see that the
[3:24:24] proposed budget has funds for
[3:24:27] complete streets I request the
[3:24:28] 31th Street South and Lakewood
[3:24:28] gel connector have those
[3:24:31] studies allocated and we're
[3:24:32] committed to moving
[3:24:33] these applications forward in
[3:24:34] supporting it. We hope that you
[3:24:34] are and you see our community
[3:24:35] commitment in both time and
[3:24:36] dollars that we've spent on
[3:24:39] this project. Thank you.
[3:24:41] Thank you.
[3:24:45] >> Next 2 speakers and the
[3:24:46] wills bean, new Kim would
[3:24:48] Kmart do please approach the
[3:24:48] podium state your name and
[3:24:49] address across streets. You
[3:24:52] have 3 minutes to address the
[3:24:55] council.
[3:25:01] >> Good evening. My name is no
[3:25:01] coming though, let's wait for
[3:25:04] Street and Second Avenue South.
[3:25:04] Here to thank you for putting
[3:25:05] an increase in complete streets
[3:25:07] from last year. And ask you to
[3:25:10] continue on this positive
[3:25:11] development and of provide more
[3:25:13] increases for the next year's
[3:25:14] budget. This is a big appetite
[3:25:16] for Street safety. Saint Pete
[3:25:19] pass complete streets about 10
[3:25:22] years ago. Since then.
[3:25:23] But 150 people have died.
[3:25:26] Hundreds of people have been
[3:25:26] injured. So please increase
[3:25:29] funding for complete streets to
[3:25:29] save lives and to make our city
[3:25:32] safer and more pleasant to live
[3:25:35] in. Thank you. If you.
[3:25:43] >> Hi there my name is Andrew
[3:25:44] Wells being I live at 8175 36th
[3:25:45] Avenue. Thanks for this
[3:25:48] opportunity to speak to you
[3:25:50] all. I'm here to also in
[3:25:51] support of safe streets and
[3:25:54] further investments in the safe
[3:25:56] streets program.
[3:25:57] I got my Masters in public
[3:26:00] policy at the University of
[3:26:01] Michigan and I
[3:26:03] specialized in local policy and
[3:26:06] in extra analogies and
[3:26:06] measuring externalities so in
[3:26:09] an extra now it is just the
[3:26:09] cost
[3:26:11] of something that's not
[3:26:14] captured in the upfront cost of
[3:26:15] that thing. So the Costa
[3:26:18] safety improvements can be easy
[3:26:21] to see. So you.
[3:26:22] Put out an rfp and you could
[3:26:23] have some proposals back and
[3:26:24] they've got a number at the
[3:26:28] bottom that pretty easy to
[3:26:29] count. The benefits can
[3:26:32] be much more difficult to
[3:26:33] count. So every crash avoided
[3:26:36] is fewer police resources that
[3:26:39] are expended every injury
[3:26:41] prevented is lower medical
[3:26:42] insurance costs. Every bike
[3:26:45] trip or walk chosen over a car
[3:26:47] ride improve someone's health.
[3:26:49] And there are more subjective
[3:26:52] benefits. Days when I bike to
[3:26:52] work
[3:26:55] start-up more joyfully walking
[3:26:56] to the joint down the street.
[3:26:59] The sports part down the street
[3:27:03] from me. It is fun.
[3:27:03] And taking the sun
[3:27:04] runner downtown can be very
[3:27:07] efficient. We have a lot of
[3:27:10] work to do across Saint Pete to
[3:27:11] make the streets truly safe
[3:27:14] for every sing in every single
[3:27:15] neighborhood we've got a lot of
[3:27:16] investments to make and I want
[3:27:19] us all to bear in mind not only
[3:27:19] the upfront costs of those but
[3:27:20] also all the benefits whether
[3:27:21] they show up on the balance
[3:27:25] sheet or not. Thank you very
[3:27:28] much. Thank you.
[3:27:31] MISTER Speaker.
[3:27:32] The sun.
[3:27:34] >> Andras in please approach
[3:27:35] the podium state your name and
[3:27:36] address in cross lacrosse
[3:27:39] streets. You have 3 minutes to
[3:27:43] address City Council.
[3:27:48] >> My name is limited his son.
[3:27:48] I live mlk and Gandy and
[3:27:51] there's a few names that I want
[3:27:54] to start off with today.
[3:27:58] Chris are Crystal Knowlton
[3:28:01] Allen Scotty Dixon
[3:28:03] jurors your Eden Hall. Ty Brown
[3:28:07] Howard junior and Yvonne
[3:28:08] Abernathy
[3:28:09] these are just a few very small
[3:28:13] few sample of names of people
[3:28:13] who are impacted by gun vio
[3:28:15] it's in our community. This is
[3:28:16] something that's happening
[3:28:20] across the country. And right
[3:28:21] here in Saint Pete.
[3:28:22] And what we know is that
[3:28:24] increased violence happens
[3:28:25] because a lack of investment in
[3:28:28] our communities. We need to
[3:28:29] make sure that we address
[3:28:32] violent at its roots and that
[3:28:33] means we support communities
[3:28:33] that are impacted. When a
[3:28:36] neighborhood doesn't have what
[3:28:38] they need.
[3:28:41] Whether it's stable work stable
[3:28:41] housing stable Healthcare
[3:28:42] stable child care programs how
[3:28:45] do we expect expect them to
[3:28:48] have any form of stability.
[3:28:49] As part of the Bay Area to
[3:28:51] defenders we've been coming
[3:28:52] here year after year to talk to
[3:28:55] you all about safer streets.
[3:28:56] This is a part of a much larger
[3:28:58] solution that we need to create
[3:29:00] we need to create a holistic
[3:29:01] approach to addressing gun
[3:29:03] violence especially as it
[3:29:04] impacts our youth.
[3:29:06] We've been told time and time
[3:29:07] again that our proposal is too
[3:29:09] much. We don't think that's the
[3:29:10] case we don't think that we are
[3:29:13] asking enough to address gun
[3:29:16] violence for our youth.
[3:29:17] What we know is that we cannot
[3:29:18] separate youth programs funding
[3:29:21] youth programming from safety.
[3:29:25] The public safety budget has
[3:29:27] been proposed to increase
[3:29:29] by $10 million. In the next
[3:29:32] fiscal year. And we believe
[3:29:33] that our youth
[3:29:35] is in dire need of investment.
[3:29:37] So instead of adding more money
[3:29:38] in the public safety budget
[3:29:40] that goes towards police we
[3:29:44] think it can easily be pulled
[3:29:44] over to invest
[3:29:45] in the save our streets which
[3:29:47] currently the component we are
[3:29:48] focusing on is an active
[3:29:51] outreach because time and time
[3:29:51] again from community members
[3:29:53] that we have talked to we've
[3:29:54] heard that they're not aware
[3:29:56] the programs that are
[3:29:57] happening. So we want a team
[3:29:59] that is able to go door to door
[3:30:00] that includes youth themselves
[3:30:03] as well that get people signed
[3:30:06] up to the
[3:30:09] programs and the support that
[3:30:10] we have within our community.
[3:30:11] We know that we have the money
[3:30:12] and as we've been saying we've
[3:30:13] been asking for years and
[3:30:17] another year waiting is another
[3:30:20] life lost every year we wait
[3:30:21] for another life
[3:30:21] lost is a choice that we are
[3:30:24] making. Let this be the year
[3:30:27] that we choose to show that we
[3:30:28] care let it be the year that
[3:30:29] our city chooses to take action
[3:30:30] celebrating supporting our
[3:30:32] youth instead of mourning lives
[3:30:33] lost too soon let this be the
[3:30:36] year that we choose to finally
[3:30:37] fund the save our streets
[3:30:37] proposal. We also asked for
[3:30:39] complete streets as well as any
[3:30:43] kind of public support and
[3:30:46] services.
[3:30:50] >> Good evening and thank you
[3:30:51] so much my name's on the
[3:30:52] distinct on that I reside at 11
[3:30:55] 1, 2 o Street soft and say
[3:30:56] prepare Florida
[3:30:58] 3, 3, 7, 0, 1, You MAY know me
[3:30:58] my capacity in my community
[3:31:00] work as PRESIDENT Of 33 hasn't
[3:31:01] read Association vice PRESIDENT
[3:31:04] Of Kona but I'm really here in
[3:31:05] my
[3:31:08] capacity as a resident. I live
[3:31:09] and 33 Heights which is a
[3:31:10] neighborhood that runs along
[3:31:11] the m okay junior self corridor
[3:31:12] and that's what I'm here to
[3:31:15] advocating for thank you so
[3:31:17] much for your continued support
[3:31:20] in complete streets and
[3:31:22] increasing that budget. But I
[3:31:23] think we need to do more.
[3:31:24] Recently a pedestrian was
[3:31:27] struck and killed crossing a
[3:31:28] Cajun yourself along around
[3:31:31] 15th Avenue South. Killed
[3:31:33] crossing a crosswalk designate
[3:31:36] a crosswalk and unfortunately
[3:31:37] this is not the only
[3:31:39] isolated incident has been
[3:31:40] other fatal. And serious
[3:31:43] crashes along mlk South.
[3:31:44] And in recent years and 2025 a
[3:31:47] pedestrian was struck. And
[3:31:47] killed while
[3:31:48] crossing 20th Avenue South in
[3:31:49] 2024. Another pedestrian
[3:31:52] suffered life-threatening
[3:31:52] injuries after being
[3:31:55] struck in the 1900 block of
[3:31:56] location or self approaching
[3:31:57] that same intersection that
[3:31:59] request has different
[3:32:00] circumstances I understand the
[3:32:02] driver behavior matters but
[3:32:04] tester in behavior matters.
[3:32:07] Enforcement matters. But Street
[3:32:08] design matters as well and we
[3:32:09] already have data showing
[3:32:12] safety concerns them out along
[3:32:14] mlk junior staff. We have a
[3:32:15] documented history of crashes,
[3:32:18] serious injuries fatalities and
[3:32:19] residents have been raising
[3:32:20] concerns of about this
[3:32:21] corridor. Some simply asking to
[3:32:22] the city to study whether there
[3:32:26] is a problem we know there's a
[3:32:26] problem at masking that
[3:32:27] we use that information we
[3:32:27] already have read it in to find
[3:32:30] where the additional analysis
[3:32:33] is needed and begin and taking
[3:32:36] action whether it's short term
[3:32:36] and long-term improvements to
[3:32:40] make this corridor safer for my
[3:32:41] residents
[3:32:42] and other residents are
[3:32:45] impacted along came a park rows
[3:32:46] apart under Park,
[3:32:46] 33 Heights neighborhood
[3:32:47] Association artistry Heights
[3:32:48] neighborhood. We have to have a
[3:32:49] PRESIDENT Right here in St.
[3:32:51] Petersburg when the city of
[3:32:53] Adelaide mlk junior,
[3:32:54] North several years find a
[3:32:57] roadway that had similar issues
[3:32:57] and we
[3:33:00] took action understanding that
[3:33:03] their wares. PRESIDENT Here
[3:33:04] with resurfacing and
[3:33:05] that made that that party
[3:33:06] possible. I'm not suggesting
[3:33:09] that we do the same with the
[3:33:09] South side as we understand
[3:33:12] that and every situation is
[3:33:13] different we need to over it
[3:33:13] and take action that's
[3:33:18] appropriate for that location.
[3:33:19] Let's look at what has been
[3:33:22] done and what we can do now to
[3:33:23] make our community safe first
[3:33:23] particular Lee and the South
[3:33:25] side. And thank you so much
[3:33:29] for. Their support. Thank you.
[3:33:32] Thank you.
[3:33:34] >> Next to speaker saloon
[3:33:35] McCann Max McCain approach the
[3:33:36] podium state your name address
[3:33:37] across streets. You have 3
[3:33:39] minutes to address City
[3:33:42] Council.
[3:34:00] >> And they missed only can and
[3:34:01] I live fact a
[3:34:03] 2648 did Ashton nice outfit.
[3:34:06] And I want them to use the
[3:34:09] budget fundings flay safe
[3:34:10] streets.
[3:34:11] So I can go to the other.
[3:34:14] 3 daughters parallel and other
[3:34:16] places today.
[3:34:18] What would you do and get
[3:34:19] everything with my friend to
[3:34:22] get food in you and I also want
[3:34:25] to add a cat Cafe.
[3:34:31] >> Municipal cat Cafe all all
[3:34:34] right. Hi good evening. Maxx
[3:34:35] McCann
[3:34:36] 26 51rd Avenue South want to
[3:34:39] say thanks for increasing
[3:34:40] funding for safe
[3:34:41] streets projects. I want to
[3:34:44] specifically applaud the use of
[3:34:45] parking revenue to fund these
[3:34:49] projects it's going to be a
[3:34:50] game changer to have that
[3:34:51] dedicated revenue stream.
[3:34:54] For projects like extending the
[3:34:57] bike lanes on mlk north to the
[3:34:58] Pinellas trail that's a game
[3:35:00] changer y'all because then we
[3:35:01] can get a network effect a bike
[3:35:03] Lane is only protected bike
[3:35:04] Lane is only good if it get you
[3:35:07] to where you're going. And
[3:35:09] right now mlk North is great if
[3:35:10] your trip starts and ends on
[3:35:14] mlk North. Connecting it to the
[3:35:14] trails a huge
[3:35:15] deal I can't can't overstate
[3:35:18] that. We also love the zipper
[3:35:19] buffers that the city put in on
[3:35:21] first Avenue North. One thing
[3:35:22] that's wild about those next
[3:35:23] time you go by look at how many
[3:35:26] of them already have tire marks
[3:35:27] on him. That'll show you
[3:35:30] how important it is to have
[3:35:32] protection for those bike lanes
[3:35:35] because drivers aren't not
[3:35:36] great at staying in that Lane
[3:35:37] and paint is not protection
[3:35:38] there. I know we're getting a
[3:35:40] bunch of crosswalks on mlk
[3:35:42] South and I'd rather have cross
[3:35:45] walks than know cross walks.
[3:35:49] But let's remember.
[3:35:55] It's killed on mlk South.
[3:35:56] Cantor Dillard in a in a
[3:35:59] crosswalk a 15 year-old Saint
[3:36:00] Pete high student was severely
[3:36:01] injured. Can it I'm not sure if
[3:36:03] I said that right she was
[3:36:05] killed. Cantor was
[3:36:06] fatally killed in a crosswalk
[3:36:07] Saint Pete high student was
[3:36:08] seriously injured in the
[3:36:11] lighted crosswalk after pushing
[3:36:15] the button. This year.
[3:36:18] Just on Tue.. I picked up my
[3:36:19] daughter from her dance class
[3:36:21] and we saw the immediate
[3:36:23] aftermath of a pedestrian who
[3:36:27] had gotten hit by a car in the
[3:36:29] crosswalk at 5th Avenue South
[3:36:32] and 22th Street. And he was
[3:36:33] laying on the ground and
[3:36:33] paramedics were working and
[3:36:37] before. I can tell Sloan to
[3:36:40] look away she said with it is
[3:36:41] head wound
[3:36:42] right there on on the site and
[3:36:42] I just thought she should have
[3:36:45] to see this shouldn't have to
[3:36:49] grow up like this.
[3:36:50] I just so I want to
[3:36:54] emphasize crosswalks are not
[3:36:54] enough. They're
[3:36:55] they're great but we can do
[3:36:58] better. All around we've been
[3:36:59] pushing for school zone safety
[3:37:00] cameras. Chief Holloway told me
[3:37:01] last year that we would have a
[3:37:04] pot pilot program in place by
[3:37:05] JANUARY of this year. And we
[3:37:08] haven't heard a peep about that
[3:37:09] ever sense.
[3:37:10] It does seem like the Police
[3:37:13] Department has the budget for
[3:37:14] it so I
[3:37:17] hope that that will be
[3:37:18] prioritized soon.
[3:37:21] And last thing, I'll say in the
[3:37:22] 7 habits of highly effective
[3:37:23] people Stephen Kobe authors
[3:37:26] said start with the end in
[3:37:28] mind. The end of our
[3:37:30] work today, it's not the budget
[3:37:30] it's this statistics on a road.
[3:37:33] It's how many people work die.
[3:37:36] Thank you.
[3:37:39] Ex who speakers please next 2
[3:37:40] speakers Sierra Clark approach,
[3:37:41] the podium state your name and
[3:37:41] address, we'll cross streets
[3:37:44] you have 3 minutes to address
[3:37:47] City Council.
[3:37:52] >> Hello my name is Jane Jane's
[3:37:54] opponents of they them and
[3:37:55] theirs. The 3rd edition native
[3:37:58] of this city. 11 84rd Avenue
[3:38:02] South.
[3:38:05] Gauge Santos Brown.
[3:38:08] 14. To do right.
[3:38:13] And then a teal kid at the y.
[3:38:17] Lives taken by gun violence
[3:38:20] this summer.
[3:38:22] Mikey's Johnson 18.
[3:38:26] The on table that 15 but Nagy
[3:38:29] white 60
[3:38:31] in Washington, 16.
[3:38:32] Jeremiah Peterson 18 live all
[3:38:33] gone because now they're going
[3:38:36] to be cages for the rest of
[3:38:38] their lives. How many
[3:38:40] more lives are going to cost.
[3:38:41] After the show as well you your
[3:38:44] budget nobody will you about is
[3:38:46] that the lie.
[3:38:47] They all say. And he's not here
[3:38:49] MAY well says that he values
[3:38:51] the lives of young folk a
[3:38:51] necessity. I was not in his
[3:38:55] budget. I do not see it in his
[3:38:58] budget.
[3:39:04] Positions and I'll beat
[3:39:05] and the budget
[3:39:08] increasing the budget but the
[3:39:10] cp police.
[3:39:13] Something added up here.
[3:39:14] You know we have been asking
[3:39:14] for years now another year of
[3:39:15] aiding with another life lost
[3:39:17] in this case what do we.
[3:39:20] And if you click what that's 8
[3:39:23] lies that down.
[3:39:27] Let this be the year.
[3:39:30] Our city chooses to take
[3:39:33] action.
[3:39:37] And we're not asking for that
[3:39:39] much. Well this year
[3:39:40] for you want to say $2500 but
[3:39:41] some repeat is that the child
[3:39:45] but why not why not center.
[3:39:48] $2500.
[3:39:48] At that too much a $100 for
[3:39:49] community outreach and teen
[3:39:52] including teenagers and youth
[3:39:53] the dot young adults it got too
[3:39:58] much. $20,000 to make programs
[3:39:59] Is that too much you could put
[3:40:02] us too much. That's what that's
[3:40:05] not a few $100,000 because
[3:40:08] include the police but about 2
[3:40:09] million, but we do
[3:40:10] one about not as children iu
[3:40:11] have a bit more light is going
[3:40:15] to take you got to put our
[3:40:15] money where our mouths are.
[3:40:16] How many more lives. I am sick
[3:40:19] and tired of it coming up why
[3:40:22] years now.
[3:40:27] >> Todd of crying every new
[3:40:28] team teenagers killed, I don't
[3:40:28] hire you or not how many will
[3:40:31] tell you how many more lives
[3:40:34] how many more.
[3:40:47] >> 5, 4, 4, 22th Avenue.
[3:40:49] I have to say it was really
[3:40:50] hard right. Going back into the
[3:40:53] community saying things in.
[3:40:55] It just repeats again.
[3:40:58] Doing better think that's what
[3:40:59] makes it. We just ask him to do
[3:41:03] better. We've tried a lot right
[3:41:05] we've calm. A long wait.
[3:41:09] Thank you I had to reports on
[3:41:09] that something about it
[3:41:13] safety is being considered.
[3:41:13] Well as with sand that is not
[3:41:14] in and take it we're not
[3:41:18] seeing. We are really the voice
[3:41:21] of the people for the people.
[3:41:22] I'm here because it's
[3:41:22] been echoing because we talked
[3:41:25] to the community and even if it
[3:41:28] is a lot of programs, there's
[3:41:29] an ingredient missing.
[3:41:29] So go with me right, if you
[3:41:32] think about spaghetti sauce is
[3:41:33] a lot of ingredients in a
[3:41:34] limited prego commission is in
[3:41:36] there. The community is telling
[3:41:37] us that something is missing
[3:41:38] and what we call care and
[3:41:41] support in safety. It's not in
[3:41:44] there.
[3:41:46] >> It's showing on t-shirts.
[3:41:47] It's showing in the
[3:41:48] organizations that love to show
[3:41:52] up for the community to help be
[3:41:53] that extension. So the city
[3:41:56] to show that we love our
[3:41:58] community,
[3:41:58] the city can't do this alone.
[3:41:59] Community organizations like
[3:42:02] during the fingers and all the
[3:42:04] other ones the 5 keys. The in
[3:42:05] gun violence with Marie Scott
[3:42:08] like there's so much on how
[3:42:09] that
[3:42:11] we have a something is missing.
[3:42:15] Our sand that we care isn't
[3:42:15] feeling like we care when
[3:42:16] we go out and sign of the
[3:42:18] community and what is the point
[3:42:21] of saying a word if you can
[3:42:23] fill out.
[3:42:23] The people Santa don't feel it.
[3:42:26] >> And I'm really not really
[3:42:30] seeing it out loud
[3:42:31] not small in fine print.
[3:42:31] It's got 4 pillars that the
[3:42:33] mayor stands only the all of
[3:42:36] the backup and we all backed
[3:42:36] up, but the community who
[3:42:39] depends on us. It's not feeling
[3:42:41] that we are not communicating.
[3:42:42] If different members in
[3:42:45] different functions and all
[3:42:45] part of one body. The heart
[3:42:48] does a great thing that the
[3:42:50] rest
[3:42:50] of the body absolutely needs
[3:42:51] we're not in this all by
[3:42:52] ourselves we absolutely need
[3:42:53] one another and our city is
[3:42:57] telling us that they need us in
[3:42:58] a different way.
[3:43:01] What can we do better is it any
[3:43:04] good the just plant the
[3:43:06] seed and it doesn't have any
[3:43:06] water.
[3:43:07] i like the sunsets just as much
[3:43:08] as I like the Stars in the sky.
[3:43:09] But I feel like we're saying
[3:43:10] that we can only do one thing
[3:43:13] and if it doesn't start with
[3:43:16] dust and it ends with us too.
[3:43:19] There is a this is a thing to
[3:43:20] have a farm of godliness
[3:43:23] but denied the power thereof
[3:43:24] especially when I know for a
[3:43:25] fact I've been here scene what
[3:43:27] the people of Saint Pete said
[3:43:28] that they need and is not only
[3:43:31] that they need it I need to I
[3:43:32] would love to see a
[3:43:33] representation with that
[3:43:35] communicates with inside a city
[3:43:37] with that side unity that flows
[3:43:39] back entire homes that the
[3:43:40] family still when they go
[3:43:41] inside their jobs. This
[3:43:44] timeless to communicate
[3:43:46] differently.
[3:43:47] Thank you.
[3:43:47] MISTER Speaker, MADAM Chair,
[3:43:50] Jerry front and Tatiana over
[3:43:52] can't please go to I the podium
[3:43:52] state your name. Address or
[3:43:55] cross Street you have 2 minutes
[3:43:58] to address City Council.
[3:44:04] >> Hello my name is Jerry front
[3:44:05] 30th Avenue North in Haines
[3:44:05] rent. I'm here today with the
[3:44:07] Bexar Jim defenders, another
[3:44:08] couple of campaigns with
[3:44:11] similar names. But I'm here to
[3:44:12] once again ask you to support
[3:44:13] the save our streets campaign
[3:44:14] proposals. We started this
[3:44:15] campaign years ago after
[3:44:17] spending substantial time
[3:44:18] talking to the community we
[3:44:19] didn't prescribe solutions we
[3:44:20] asked and we listed, and we
[3:44:24] said what is it that you need
[3:44:24] to feel safe.
[3:44:25] How do we stop violence in
[3:44:26] Saint Pete, and they didn't say
[3:44:27] we need more police on the
[3:44:27] streets they didn't say we need
[3:44:30] more kids in cages they said
[3:44:33] that we needed someone to go in
[3:44:34] for accessible effective
[3:44:35] and utilized youth and young
[3:44:36] adult programs and to have
[3:44:39] someone from the city come into
[3:44:40] the communities and help
[3:44:43] families not only identify but
[3:44:44] access the support they need
[3:44:44] whatever that MAY look like
[3:44:45] some of you are on City Council
[3:44:46] when we first started this some
[3:44:48] of you have inherited a since
[3:44:49] you joined.
[3:44:50] Nonetheless all of you at this
[3:44:53] point are familiar with what
[3:44:54] our campaign and what we are
[3:44:55] hoping to achieve here. Now
[3:44:55] when we first arrived for this
[3:44:59] campaign several years ago at
[3:44:59] this point we were told that we
[3:45:00] needed to start earlier engage
[3:45:03] the city student or we can make
[3:45:04] it happen. So we came back the
[3:45:04] next year earlier and the next
[3:45:06] year we were here consistently
[3:45:09] during the budget process and
[3:45:10] once again after peering
[3:45:11] over and over we were told.
[3:45:12] This is great and we want to
[3:45:14] make it happen we just need
[3:45:15] more details we need to make
[3:45:16] make sure you meet with all of
[3:45:16] us will start earlier but next
[3:45:18] year we think we can make
[3:45:20] something happen and we
[3:45:21] listened again last year.
[3:45:24] And we met with most if not all
[3:45:24] of you. We reached out
[3:45:25] to the mayor's office met with
[3:45:26] them. We revised our proposals
[3:45:30] we kept showing up in last year
[3:45:30] once again we were
[3:45:31] told start earlier maybe next
[3:45:31] year. And so we did it all
[3:45:35] again and now once again we are
[3:45:35] at the end of the budget
[3:45:36] process and it's not in the
[3:45:38] budget. You know I think this
[3:45:39] is the old Rodney Dangerfield
[3:45:40] movie groundhog's day if it did
[3:45:41] the way I keep showing up in
[3:45:43] experiencing the same thing
[3:45:44] over and over again, but
[3:45:47] recognizing is it's not because
[3:45:48] we're still losing more people
[3:45:50] every year. You know last year
[3:45:52] came and spoke about the Andrea
[3:45:53] Hargrove I spoke about jaden
[3:45:54] Hill spoke about Tyrone Howard
[3:45:54] in this year, my friends and
[3:45:56] they urge and funders brought
[3:45:59] up several more names to you
[3:46:00] all. The point is
[3:46:01] we can't keep kicking this down
[3:46:03] the road and we're not asking
[3:46:05] for a la the city has a $1
[3:46:07] billion budget. A billion
[3:46:08] dollars. All of the programming
[3:46:09] were looking for would be about
[3:46:11] a million dollars for the first
[3:46:14] year in yeah that's something
[3:46:16] sure but if we prioritize
[3:46:18] keeping our city safe. The same
[3:46:18] way we prioritize development,
[3:46:19] the same Lee we prioritize
[3:46:21] locking kids in cages after
[3:46:24] harm occurs rather than before
[3:46:25] it happens. We could actually
[3:46:26] do something here. Now while
[3:46:28] we're facing another year
[3:46:29] waiting for action to be taken
[3:46:30] by an administration that will
[3:46:32] promise meeting after meeting
[3:46:33] but can't seem to offer
[3:46:34] concrete plans we're going to
[3:46:35] see more memorials on the sides
[3:46:36] of sidewalks and the sides of
[3:46:37] streets and more community
[3:46:40] gatherings to mourn the loss of
[3:46:42] another person, we know that
[3:46:43] this can work we know that the
[3:46:45] funding exists do the families
[3:46:48] of these people deserve some
[3:46:48] real action. Let this be the
[3:46:51] year that we show that we care
[3:46:52] let this be the year that our
[3:46:53] city takes action celebrating
[3:46:54] and supporting our youth
[3:46:54] instead of mourning lives lost
[3:46:57] too soon. Let this be the year
[3:46:58] please that we fund the save
[3:47:01] our streets programs. Thank
[3:47:04] you.
[3:47:18] Good afternoon.
[3:47:19] My name is Tatiana however
[3:47:20] camp. Address 8, 7, one 64th
[3:47:23] Avenue South St. Petersburg
[3:47:26] Florida. You already have.
[3:47:27] I'm here today representing
[3:47:30] dream defenders also with the
[3:47:31] save our streets campaign.
[3:47:34] I'm not the most active member
[3:47:36] of dream defenders, but I have
[3:47:39] been here since this campaign
[3:47:42] was first conceived.
[3:47:45] I know as Mike
[3:47:49] read Jerry was just saying.
[3:47:50] We've done all that we can to
[3:47:53] negotiate and get through to
[3:47:54] every member of this Council to
[3:47:55] talk to the mayor to have these
[3:47:58] meetings have these discussions
[3:48:01] about how we can get.
[3:48:04] Asks of this campaign met.
[3:48:06] There have been meetings
[3:48:09] and follow-ups and yet. The
[3:48:10] campaign proposals
[3:48:11] have not been met in the years
[3:48:12] that we've been here coming
[3:48:15] back to City Council over and
[3:48:16] over again.
[3:48:20] I don't think it's particularly
[3:48:20] controversial want to
[3:48:23] and gun violence and fund our
[3:48:26] youth.
[3:48:30] I feel that people still have
[3:48:30] not seemed to accept the idea
[3:48:32] of funding our residents and
[3:48:35] that violence in our
[3:48:36] communities. It's not a
[3:48:39] policing problem. But a problem
[3:48:40] of
[3:48:43] disinvestment and
[3:48:43] disenfranchisement we know that
[3:48:44] the money exists. We've been
[3:48:47] watching this year we've seen.
[3:48:50] Apparently we have money for
[3:48:53] new police cruisers and all
[3:48:56] these flock cameras going up.
[3:48:59] God forbid that. We really sit
[3:49:00] down and connect to our
[3:49:03] residents and find out what
[3:49:07] they need.
[3:49:09] We've been hand waved
[3:49:12] away with excuses there's
[3:49:13] already programming
[3:49:13] for that there's already this
[3:49:16] etc but we as the residents
[3:49:18] don't see it.
[3:49:19] I don't think it's enough to
[3:49:23] say we're doing things for
[3:49:24] folks
[3:49:25] because we have a 5 steps
[3:49:27] scholarship application process
[3:49:31] for impoverished families.
[3:49:33] We know Saint
[3:49:33] Pete loves its bureaucracy.
[3:49:36] I know everyone here on the
[3:49:37] council has to navigate that
[3:49:40] every day. But one of the
[3:49:43] things that we are asking
[3:49:44] for with our campaign is
[3:49:45] Navigator services that can go
[3:49:48] door to door and help residents
[3:49:49] connect to programming and that
[3:49:51] they qualify for when you are
[3:49:52] not familiar with these
[3:49:55] processes. It's difficult not
[3:49:58] only to apply, but even know
[3:49:59] what questions to ask to find
[3:50:00] out what's available in the
[3:50:01] first place this has an
[3:50:03] inherent effective filtering
[3:50:04] out many people who would
[3:50:07] otherwise apply and benefit.
[3:50:09] I just want us to ask
[3:50:10] what would it be like if we
[3:50:13] approached our programming
[3:50:15] thinking about.
[3:50:15] Now we can make sure our
[3:50:18] residents truly feel held.
[3:50:19] Thank you. Thank you.
[3:50:22] Next 2 speakers, it leaves and
[3:50:25] me
[3:50:27] dami.
[3:50:27] And Justin Kern your please go
[3:50:28] to the podium state your name.
[3:50:29] The dress or side Street and
[3:50:31] you have 2 minutes to address
[3:50:34] City Council.
[3:50:40] >> I am Danny. I refuse to give
[3:50:42] side streets in solidarity with
[3:50:42] folks who are forced to live
[3:50:45] outside under this capitalist
[3:50:46] system
[3:50:48] that says that if you attempt
[3:50:49] to build your own house,
[3:50:52] they'll destroy it. Well they
[3:50:53] protect the private property of
[3:50:54] the settler colonial system or
[3:50:56] you can give your neighborhood
[3:50:57] you don't have to my name is
[3:51:00] Danny, I told you that you know
[3:51:01] you have to give you
[3:51:02] have to give neighborhood are
[3:51:04] some. Ok my address is the same
[3:51:05] as everyone here one 80th
[3:51:08] Street at the look up the
[3:51:09] address
[3:51:09] of every counter member here.
[3:51:11] There's this one 80th Street.
[3:51:12] Why do we have to give our
[3:51:12] address that's serve theirs is
[3:51:15] once everybody which is this
[3:51:18] building. So thank you
[3:51:19] Aranda has to
[3:51:20] either you Saint Pete want for
[3:51:23] Street and 5th Avenue. Thank
[3:51:26] you thank you so.
[3:51:29] I'd like to gain back my my
[3:51:32] half at my 30 seconds there but
[3:51:35] so first off I wanted to
[3:51:39] address the fact that I don't
[3:51:42] see the business improvement
[3:51:45] district for at In the pictures
[3:51:48] on their store anywhere in this
[3:51:49] I don't see anything about
[3:51:50] these new meters upon and
[3:51:51] between 8 Street and 9th on
[3:51:54] first Avenue South are over
[3:51:57] here on 5th Street which you're
[3:51:58] supposed
[3:51:59] to put out notices to the
[3:52:00] public when you're going to
[3:52:01] change the public's pay a
[3:52:02] public parking spot to a
[3:52:05] metered spot now this money is
[3:52:05] being
[3:52:06] funneled to the Saint Pete
[3:52:07] downtown partnership, which is
[3:52:09] a legal right isn't that
[3:52:10] investment that this money is
[3:52:13] being funneled and they boast
[3:52:13] on their website. The downtown
[3:52:16] improvement district. Moos on
[3:52:17] their website that they're
[3:52:18] going to make a million dollars
[3:52:19] off of close to 400 spots that
[3:52:21] they put meters on that were
[3:52:24] public parking spots without
[3:52:27] notice to the public
[3:52:28] which is a violation. Now
[3:52:31] safe streets and complete
[3:52:32] streets are Trojan horse
[3:52:35] painted in a 40 foot long mural
[3:52:36] and and decorated with skate
[3:52:37] parks that don't serve the
[3:52:38] people that steal the money
[3:52:39] from the community what we
[3:52:40] need. It's community like
[3:52:43] programs like to save our
[3:52:46] streets program that where
[3:52:46] folks do the legwork they
[3:52:49] talked to people in the
[3:52:50] neighborhood. They
[3:52:51] find out the poll say find out
[3:52:51] what people need they Grieve
[3:52:54] with the people when they lose
[3:52:57] their family members and they
[3:52:58] back them up. And end
[3:53:00] the times that they've lost.
[3:53:03] Now nothing can bring these
[3:53:05] people back your job is to
[3:53:07] represent your constituents not
[3:53:09] to make decisions for them.
[3:53:11] Your job is to listen and to do
[3:53:14] what they request. Now they're
[3:53:17] putting forth,
[3:53:19] proper proposals.
[3:53:19] What the Saint Pete downtown
[3:53:20] partnership is putting forward.
[3:53:21] It's not a proper proposal,
[3:53:23] it's being done behind closed
[3:53:23] doors and you can smile and
[3:53:25] laugh all you want or need
[3:53:29] Williams. I see you over there.
[3:53:30] You are in bed with it Driscoll
[3:53:33] you worked on the psta
[3:53:34] alongside Brad Miller,
[3:53:36] who said and in violation of
[3:53:38] the ada that he was going to
[3:53:39] change the laws and the sun
[3:53:40] right or so that young black
[3:53:40] youth in homeless folks get it
[3:53:41] right out to the beach because
[3:53:44] people on the beach don't like
[3:53:44] that.
[3:53:48] Now you're gonna need to
[3:53:48] represent the people
[3:53:49] that's all you need to do it's
[3:53:50] a lesson to the proper
[3:53:51] prescription set forth by
[3:53:52] communities who are suffering
[3:53:55] in an act that, and that's it.
[3:54:04] >> And here's a sting. So and
[3:54:04] public comment. There is no.
[3:54:05] There is no clapping during
[3:54:06] public comment, this is to
[3:54:09] listen to people. What they say
[3:54:10] is the strongest
[3:54:10] way to communicate. Not
[3:54:11] clapping that doesn't have any
[3:54:14] value it's distracting for all
[3:54:16] of us. So
[3:54:17] we want to listen to everyone
[3:54:18] and make sure that the content
[3:54:19] of what you're seeing is what
[3:54:20] we're listening to but this is
[3:54:23] the same rules that we have
[3:54:24] every time for public Let's
[3:54:27] just but at the next speaker
[3:54:30] place.
[3:54:33] >> I'm Justin Conway a little
[3:54:33] bit 10 35th Avenue South in
[3:54:35] Campbell Park and the vice
[3:54:36] PRESIDENT Kamala Park
[3:54:39] neighborhood Association.
[3:54:40] I co-founded mlk self
[3:54:43] safe streets coalition, Nico
[3:54:44] Seymour and Rosa
[3:54:45] Park along with 13 Street
[3:54:45] Heights and Bartlett Park we're
[3:54:47] a coalition of 4 different
[3:54:48] neighborhoods that but I'm ok
[3:54:48] so if we were here in APRIL
[3:54:51] talking to you thank you again
[3:54:54] for listen to us again.
[3:54:57] I want to thank you for the
[3:54:57] modest increase the mating
[3:55:00] complete streets and spent
[3:55:01] 200,000. I'm very
[3:55:02] very grateful for that. And
[3:55:04] just yesterday I learned that
[3:55:05] the South's here is going to be
[3:55:06] funding. Ali repurposing study
[3:55:07] that's very exciting and also
[3:55:11] funding crosswalks as we have a
[3:55:14] lot to look forward to.
[3:55:15] Last weekend we held a vigil on
[3:55:18] mlk south to honor and remember
[3:55:18] the 5 neighbors
[3:55:19] that we've lost in the last 5
[3:55:21] years to those people we just
[3:55:22] lost last summer kinder Dillard
[3:55:25] and Tamara Williams we're both
[3:55:26] killed in car crashes.
[3:55:30] Okay South. 24 people were
[3:55:30] killed in
[3:55:31] car crashes last year in St.
[3:55:34] Petersburg 10 of those were
[3:55:35] outside of cars and on bikes or
[3:55:37] pedestrians. Compare that to
[3:55:37] the 10 homicides in the city
[3:55:38] there's more than double the
[3:55:39] number of people being killed
[3:55:39] in car crashes in St.
[3:55:42] Petersburg compared to
[3:55:44] homicides.
[3:55:45] It's horrendous and it's a
[3:55:48] number that I know that we've
[3:55:49] all talked about him.
[3:55:50] Getting to 0. I want to see us
[3:55:53] do that I know the complete
[3:55:55] streets will get us there.
[3:55:58] The way the complete streets is
[3:55:59] funded. I don't think is the
[3:56:00] best way that we should be
[3:56:01] funding it. It's currently
[3:56:03] being funded by paper ballots
[3:56:07] funds parking revenues impact
[3:56:07] fees
[3:56:09] to give you a comparison.
[3:56:10] Playground equipment is
[3:56:11] currently getting more penny
[3:56:12] for Pinellas funds and complete
[3:56:15] streets and to compare the
[3:56:17] parking revenue.
[3:56:17] That we're getting for complete
[3:56:21] streets. Clean and safe
[3:56:22] downtown is getting
[3:56:22] 7.50 we're getting 3.50.
[3:56:24] So we're getting the funding
[3:56:27] but if you compare to other
[3:56:28] programs. I don't think that
[3:56:29] the priorities that us Council
[3:56:32] set out are being represented
[3:56:33] the budget 7 out of 8 of you
[3:56:35] said the complete streets where
[3:56:36] priority. And I want to see
[3:56:37] that represent a budget so the
[3:56:38] $0 that are currently allocated
[3:56:40] from the general fund I want to
[3:56:42] see that 0 turn into a real
[3:56:44] number that we can use to get
[3:56:45] towards vision 0. I think we
[3:56:48] need aggressive funding to get
[3:56:51] to that vision 0.
[3:56:52] 0 deaths on our streets.
[3:56:53] If we have 10 million for
[3:56:56] police for flock cameras drone
[3:56:57] cameras robot dogs and tanks to
[3:56:59] patrol a neighborhood. I think
[3:57:02] that we can use those public
[3:57:02] safety dollars to bring
[3:57:03] real safety to our streets.
[3:57:06] I see this I see this as a
[3:57:07] public safety issue. And
[3:57:08] I think they're I think that
[3:57:09] there's a little bit of
[3:57:10] tweaking that we can do before
[3:57:12] the final budget hearing to
[3:57:13] bring some general fund dollars
[3:57:14] for complete streets. So thank
[3:57:15] you again for all your hard
[3:57:17] work and thanks again for
[3:57:20] listen to us again. Thank you
[3:57:23] Justin.
[3:57:25] Next to speakers MR. Spears
[3:57:26] MADAM Chair.
[3:57:27] Franklin Alvarez endured on a
[3:57:27] please go to the podium state
[3:57:28] your name address or cross
[3:57:30] Street you have 2 minutes to
[3:57:33] address it in house.
[3:57:41] >> Franklin now there's 10 35th
[3:57:42] Avenue South. I got a lot of
[3:57:44] neighborhood meetings as the
[3:57:47] PRESIDENT And there's kind of 2
[3:57:48] things that I hear most often
[3:57:49] in neighborhood meetings as one
[3:57:50] Walker cars. Surprisingly a
[3:57:51] large amount of very dangerous
[3:57:54] things people keep unlocked
[3:57:55] cars in the streets.
[3:57:58] And then the second one is that
[3:57:59] police on the
[3:58:01] show up after something has
[3:58:02] happened. Not before and this
[3:58:05] budget year is that our time to
[3:58:06] start investing in the
[3:58:06] solutions that bring health
[3:58:09] better neighborhoods. I've
[3:58:10] started talking about kind
[3:58:10] of the ingredients of healthy
[3:58:13] neighborhoods. And investing in
[3:58:14] our
[3:58:14] youth investing in our future
[3:58:15] investing or Street safeties is
[3:58:18] an enormous part of that I
[3:58:19] can't tell you how
[3:58:20] many kids in my neighborhood.
[3:58:20] We are just looking for
[3:58:21] something to do they're looking
[3:58:23] for analogy don't know what's
[3:58:24] available to them and they're
[3:58:25] just begging for something and
[3:58:26] if you're all the time that
[3:58:29] there are people who take that
[3:58:30] up take these use.
[3:58:31] Can guide them into other
[3:58:34] things because I there is a lot
[3:58:36] of.
[3:58:36] All right. There's also a lot
[3:58:39] of people are neighborhoods to
[3:58:41] the youth that are being
[3:58:42] brought into the systems and
[3:58:45] stealing cars right, they know
[3:58:46] that if you can get
[3:58:47] 14 year-olds that are it had
[3:58:47] nothing to do our streets.
[3:58:50] They can go into these crimes
[3:58:50] and they're not going to really
[3:58:52] get in trouble and it's part of
[3:58:55] that kind of experts to explore
[3:58:56] the poll we need a solution for
[3:58:59] that we need to invest in the
[3:58:59] youth. In that and then on top
[3:59:01] of that of course the street
[3:59:02] safety we need places where
[3:59:03] neighborhoods and neighbors can
[3:59:04] feel like they can go outside
[3:59:04] they can walk to the corner
[3:59:07] they can go to leak few market
[3:59:08] and get some food and have a
[3:59:08] crosswalk that's acessible in
[3:59:11] respectable for them to be able
[3:59:12] to
[3:59:13] just have for their daily
[3:59:14] needs. All across our city
[3:59:16] there's opportunities to bring
[3:59:16] that connection to bring
[3:59:20] neighbors outside and that all
[3:59:23] plays back into safety a lot
[3:59:23] more than investing in. And
[3:59:24] officers and employees and
[3:59:26] tanks and drones because all of
[3:59:26] that comes with hidden costs
[3:59:27] those covid subscription
[3:59:28] services maintenance fees all
[3:59:30] those things will go up year
[3:59:31] after year. And
[3:59:31] that's all I want to say so
[3:59:35] thank you all for the time.
[3:59:38] Thank you.
[3:59:43] >> Hi my name is heard on a I'm
[3:59:44] a resident 2000 Kenny Boulevard
[3:59:44] North.
[3:59:45] And I'm here again with the Bay
[3:59:47] Area 2 defenders to support the
[3:59:50] demands of the savory she's
[3:59:52] campaign to increase funding
[3:59:53] for youth programming and our
[3:59:53] Beach. We want to stop all
[3:59:54] violence. That's happening in
[3:59:56] our communities and we want to
[3:59:58] make sure that our budget
[3:59:58] reflects that across the
[3:59:59] country and here in Saint Pete
[4:00:00] one of the best indicators of
[4:00:03] where we see more violence is
[4:00:04] where we see a
[4:00:05] lack of investment in the local
[4:00:08] community. Specifically this
[4:00:10] past year we have seen multiple
[4:00:11] in student incidences of gun
[4:00:13] violence, especially among
[4:00:14] youth that have been
[4:00:15] devastating to the community.
[4:00:17] The community has been coming
[4:00:18] together over the past few
[4:00:19] months to me see how we can
[4:00:19] support the family and how we
[4:00:22] can develop stronger community
[4:00:24] ties so that this doesn't keep
[4:00:25] happening. We know that
[4:00:28] organizations in the city have
[4:00:31] been hosting and programs
[4:00:33] and many people in the
[4:00:33] neighborhood.
[4:00:34] That we talked to still don't
[4:00:36] know about them. So we are
[4:00:37] asking tough and more outreach
[4:00:39] and proactive unity so that way
[4:00:40] they
[4:00:41] can take advantage of these
[4:00:43] programs. Just recently the
[4:00:44] park's and rec department
[4:00:46] recently reached out to us with
[4:00:46] that now to let us know that
[4:00:49] they're adopting some of the
[4:00:50] proposals made
[4:00:53] by us and by other people in
[4:00:53] the community to increase
[4:00:55] outreach specifically among
[4:00:56] teens. They are implementing
[4:00:57] more increased outreach by
[4:01:00] tabling a school event so that
[4:01:01] youth can be directly informed
[4:01:02] by these resources. The city
[4:01:03] needs to continue this effort
[4:01:05] by investing in more paid
[4:01:08] positions to expand its current
[4:01:09] engagement and outreach to the
[4:01:10] community in order to boost
[4:01:13] awareness in use of the
[4:01:14] programs available
[4:01:15] to teens and young adults.
[4:01:16] The city budget should be a
[4:01:18] people's budget issue reflect
[4:01:19] what the community is Mourning
[4:01:22] and has been asking for which
[4:01:22] based on the outreach that we
[4:01:23] have been doing with the
[4:01:24] community is more accessible
[4:01:26] and active outreach for youth
[4:01:29] programming. Thank you. Thank
[4:01:32] you. Number 6 is key. No more
[4:01:35] speakers from pain.
[4:01:40] >> The public comment portion
[4:01:41] of the hearing is now looms.
[4:01:44] We move on to any Council
[4:01:47] comments or discussion. I sure
[4:01:50] Floyd.
[4:01:59] >> You know there's 2 main
[4:02:02] things that are white related
[4:02:03] that come up every year and
[4:02:05] they're always at the top of my
[4:02:08] budget request as well so well
[4:02:10] just get right into it.
[4:02:13] The law I think was last
[4:02:15] speaker spoke about it, but
[4:02:16] I want to lead us to the
[4:02:17] ministrations.
[4:02:18] To detail the youth outreach
[4:02:18] increases that are coming this
[4:02:19] year I had it in my budget
[4:02:22] one-on-one or of someone can
[4:02:25] speak to it.
[4:02:28] I think it is coming.
[4:02:34] >> Vice chair to I think we
[4:02:34] have administrator Jeffries
[4:02:37] administrator Foster here you
[4:02:41] can both address that.
[4:02:49] >> question please
[4:02:50] I was just hoping somebody
[4:02:53] could speak to the increased
[4:02:54] youth outreach the
[4:02:57] was a.
[4:03:00] I was told about in my budget
[4:03:00] absolutely no.
[4:03:03] We have outreach as a component
[4:03:04] of
[4:03:07] our community support hubs and
[4:03:09] that is in rsp right now so
[4:03:13] currently that's covered by
[4:03:16] perk. But we will be securing
[4:03:16] either a new vendor or I'm
[4:03:20] not Bender to continue that
[4:03:23] outreach that happens in
[4:03:25] all neighborhoods that also has
[4:03:28] specific outreach into
[4:03:28] communities after an act of
[4:03:31] violence has happened. So that
[4:03:32] we can get youth more involved.
[4:03:35] In addition to that I know I've
[4:03:36] mentioned a
[4:03:39] couple committee meetings that
[4:03:40] after meeting
[4:03:43] with the dream defenders.
[4:03:44] We have kind of re purpose to
[4:03:44] how the cs ours are being used
[4:03:47] those are the folks that the
[4:03:48] see click fix is go to.
[4:03:49] And they're out in the
[4:03:52] neighborhood so their trucks
[4:03:53] are being redesigned with a
[4:03:56] wrap that kind of says hey stop
[4:03:56] me if you
[4:03:58] have questions and they are
[4:03:59] going to be more focused on
[4:04:02] whenever they're out and about
[4:04:03] looking at those see click fix
[4:04:06] is their trucks will also have
[4:04:07] information on youth programs
[4:04:08] and other resources, the
[4:04:11] housing programs. We have here
[4:04:12] at the city
[4:04:16] and be able to drop that off as
[4:04:17] needed so those are a couple of
[4:04:17] things and then I know
[4:04:20] administrator Jeffries has some
[4:04:23] stuff as well.
[4:04:26] >> I know that we've reached
[4:04:27] out to most most of the council
[4:04:28] members and as one of the dream
[4:04:31] defenders representation
[4:04:32] mentioned
[4:04:33] we reached out with them as
[4:04:35] well. We've shared this with
[4:04:35] you guys at several of our
[4:04:38] committee of the whole meetings
[4:04:39] talk about budget candidly
[4:04:42] we're not real comfortable with
[4:04:45] teens going door to door which
[4:04:46] we just aren't. We we think
[4:04:47] that comes with some liability
[4:04:50] and create some concern for us.
[4:04:51] I will also tell you that we
[4:04:51] hear the dream defenders, loud
[4:04:53] and clear we want to get the
[4:04:54] word out we want to get the
[4:04:57] message out, but we want to do
[4:04:58] it and effectively
[4:04:59] officiant way and so our plan
[4:05:02] is to do exactly and I forget
[4:05:05] it. We spoke to
[4:05:06] a couple different dream
[4:05:09] defenders. Our players use
[4:05:12] which is our teen arm to go out
[4:05:13] to all the middle schools and
[4:05:16] high schools in Saint Pete and
[4:05:19] offer a event that can be
[4:05:20] scheduled by the principal
[4:05:20] to allow us to have bounce
[4:05:22] houses deejays whatever we need
[4:05:25] to do to create that excitement
[4:05:26] and so that at that
[4:05:26] point now we have the kids are
[4:05:29] there. We have a captive
[4:05:30] audience and
[4:05:31] we can show the information the
[4:05:32] programs that we offer so our
[4:05:33] goal this first year would be
[4:05:34] to reach out to every one of
[4:05:36] the middle schools and high
[4:05:37] schools in Saint Pete, so that
[4:05:40] is our plan we think that's a
[4:05:42] much more efficient much more
[4:05:43] effective way of getting the
[4:05:45] program information out in the
[4:05:48] community.
[4:05:49] Thank you for that.
[4:05:52] I understand this MAY be a
[4:05:52] broader question or thought I
[4:05:53] understand the like you know,
[4:05:55] maybe Rick a hesitancy towards
[4:05:58] like you know people under age
[4:06:00] going door to door.
[4:06:01] But you know I don't see any
[4:06:01] reason why like adults are
[4:06:02] young adults couldn't do this
[4:06:06] I've brought it up in the
[4:06:07] context of like the.
[4:06:08] Spree mayor readiness Academy I
[4:06:11] think is what it's called or I
[4:06:12] might be missing a word there
[4:06:13] which so my understanding or
[4:06:16] people who are over 18 years
[4:06:19] old and so.
[4:06:23] I just was hoping
[4:06:26] someone could speak to.
[4:06:27] >> The.
[4:06:27] Like sort of recalcitrance that
[4:06:29] I feel too being receptive to
[4:06:30] this issue it's like I
[4:06:30] appreciate all the outreach
[4:06:32] you're doing but like we've had
[4:06:35] people come for years to ask
[4:06:36] for something specific
[4:06:39] and then said we give them
[4:06:39] something else I just don't
[4:06:43] understand that knows that I
[4:06:44] guess I would share
[4:06:44] what administer Foster shared
[4:06:47] as well so.
[4:06:48] If you take the the reach out
[4:06:49] to the middle schools and high
[4:06:52] schools that is done by the
[4:06:52] teens for the teens, so that
[4:06:53] information is shared directly
[4:06:55] by their peers. And then you
[4:06:56] paired that with what
[4:06:59] administrator Foster has shared
[4:06:59] that she
[4:07:00] will have staff out into the
[4:07:01] communities. That has you know
[4:07:04] vehicles that are marked she's
[4:07:04] she's reposition or cs ours
[4:07:05] and then each one of our
[4:07:06] departments that has
[4:07:08] information programs that we
[4:07:09] want to get out into the
[4:07:12] community. We will provide that
[4:07:13] to those csr so we're really
[4:07:14] kind of hitting that that
[4:07:15] balance between everything the
[4:07:18] dream defenders has asked for
[4:07:19] when it comes to communicating
[4:07:21] our programs and activities and
[4:07:24] the problems we have available
[4:07:25] for residents.
[4:07:27] I understand and appreciate
[4:07:27] that but like it feels like
[4:07:28] there's something specific in
[4:07:30] the past that is like
[4:07:33] door-to-door outreach that just
[4:07:37] administration is not.
[4:07:39] >> It opened to Lloyd
[4:07:41] the outreach that we do is door
[4:07:42] to door, okay and and so we
[4:07:44] tracked that we have an app
[4:07:47] called survey 1, 2, 3, a pen is
[4:07:49] dropped at every
[4:07:50] door where resources are
[4:07:53] offered. And so I I'm sorry
[4:07:53] that that was an understood
[4:07:57] previously, but that is how the
[4:07:59] hub outreach happens.
[4:08:00] It's in a door-to-door fashion
[4:08:01] the hub outreach is.
[4:08:03] Includes youth services as well
[4:08:04] and youth programming it to its
[4:08:05] all-inclusive of everything so
[4:08:06] they're knocking on the door
[4:08:08] and having a conversation about
[4:08:09] what is the needs in that home.
[4:08:12] >> And so if they need mental
[4:08:13] health
[4:08:13] services they're getting
[4:08:15] connected to that if they need
[4:08:16] returning citizen services
[4:08:19] they're getting connected to
[4:08:19] that
[4:08:20] if they need something else
[4:08:23] then they're being offered that
[4:08:26] particular resource,
[4:08:27] okay.
[4:08:30] So. I leave it there for now
[4:08:31] I'd like to have a deeper
[4:08:32] conversation about that and
[4:08:34] about you know what it looks
[4:08:35] like for us to
[4:08:36] communicate that if that's
[4:08:37] truly we feel like we're
[4:08:38] meeting a marked that people
[4:08:41] are asking for why there's a
[4:08:42] disconnect between
[4:08:43] the conversation in general, so
[4:08:46] I think that's probably bigger
[4:08:47] either
[4:08:48] sitting and going back and
[4:08:48] forth we also.
[4:08:51] Yeah, I mean I I think we have
[4:08:51] communicated that and in the
[4:08:52] monthly reports I share with
[4:08:55] you from that has that in the
[4:08:58] packet where that outreach is
[4:09:00] happening includes the
[4:09:00] tabling information and and
[4:09:03] that and we did share that when
[4:09:06] we've met with the dream
[4:09:08] defenders, but my assumption is
[4:09:09] that it doesn't it doesn't meet
[4:09:10] the mark and and they're still
[4:09:13] asking for something else but
[4:09:17] we're happy to follow a
[4:09:18] okay, yeah because I'm feeling
[4:09:21] like.
[4:09:21] I need to have another
[4:09:22] conversation to figure out why
[4:09:23] this is.
[4:09:23] Well it and can candidly
[4:09:25] councilmember we we sat down we
[4:09:26] white board what
[4:09:26] the dream defenders were
[4:09:28] asking, we looked at what we
[4:09:29] weren't comfortable with and
[4:09:31] what we were comfortable with
[4:09:32] we also took the experience
[4:09:33] that we have we going door to
[4:09:36] door is not something new that
[4:09:36] the city you know is just
[4:09:38] looking to do it's something
[4:09:38] that we have done the rec
[4:09:41] Center's South as going door to
[4:09:42] door when we have low
[4:09:42] enrollment. Candidly that
[4:09:45] hasn't happened here in the
[4:09:48] last couple of years we are at
[4:09:49] capacity. But we have
[4:09:50] gone door to door we have found
[4:09:51] that to be less than effective
[4:09:52] and I know I know most of you
[4:09:55] have gone door to door in your
[4:09:57] campaigns and I know you can
[4:09:58] you cannot go 100 doors, you
[4:09:59] MAY get 10 people that answer
[4:10:01] of those 10 people the answer
[4:10:02] do they have teens are we
[4:10:05] really connecting are we really
[4:10:05] using that resource as
[4:10:06] effectively as possible.
[4:10:08] And I think that's really where
[4:10:10] we were able to come up with
[4:10:11] this new idea of using to be
[4:10:14] that arm for that pier to pier
[4:10:16] connection. So I think
[4:10:17] because we are doing it right
[4:10:18] now and it's a new program that
[4:10:20] we're rolling out I think that
[4:10:20] maybe some of the disconnect
[4:10:23] but we feel confident that when
[4:10:25] you pair what we're offering
[4:10:26] as a new concept to what
[4:10:27] administer Foster has with her
[4:10:29] door to door we really are
[4:10:31] threading that needle and kind
[4:10:34] of hitting the mark on both
[4:10:35] components we heard loud
[4:10:38] and clear needs to be peer
[4:10:39] connection that's the
[4:10:40] team's listen to teens, we know
[4:10:42] that and we also want to be
[4:10:43] safe and we want to be
[4:10:43] effective. We want to be
[4:10:46] efficient and that's really
[4:10:49] what
[4:10:49] we believe that we're offering
[4:10:50] at this point.
[4:10:51] And I want to be clear like I'm
[4:10:52] grateful for y'all having this
[4:10:55] negotiation at all, but I've
[4:10:57] got a few figure
[4:10:57] out still personally like the
[4:10:58] community members that are here
[4:11:02] asking like why did they not
[4:11:02] feel like their requests are
[4:11:03] being filled, I can't speak to
[4:11:04] that right this second. So
[4:11:04] that's why I'm saying it's
[4:11:05] probably going to vote for a
[4:11:08] conversation for me. Later on
[4:11:11] for follow.
[4:11:14] Is complete streets.
[4:11:17] I can just see the top of that.
[4:11:23] I think what we heard about
[4:11:25] complete streets was a
[4:11:28] gratefulness for the increases
[4:11:28] in
[4:11:29] funding on very grateful.
[4:11:29] This is something that I've
[4:11:32] been hounding you about
[4:11:33] particularly you know
[4:11:34] the parking changes into
[4:11:37] complete streets, I know
[4:11:40] there's a couple of.
[4:11:43] Comments on like the parking
[4:11:44] changes for complete streets
[4:11:45] versus the business improvement
[4:11:46] District. I don't think
[4:11:47] anything settled on the
[4:11:49] downtown improvement district
[4:11:51] that we have not voted to do
[4:11:52] anything with it. It's just
[4:11:54] been a conversation thus far
[4:11:55] but it will come up soon super
[4:11:56] interested in that that will be
[4:11:58] something that we talk about
[4:12:01] soon.
[4:12:02] There is an increase in
[4:12:04] complete streets funding in a
[4:12:05] couple of places in the budget
[4:12:09] like we mentioned the South's a
[4:12:10] as Us. From your
[4:12:13] department and the funds that
[4:12:15] you collect. My question is
[4:12:16] you know there I think one
[4:12:17] person said MAY be modest
[4:12:19] increase which you know, I mean
[4:12:21] I think compared to what we've
[4:12:24] done. In the past out of our
[4:12:27] general funding and not grounds
[4:12:28] or state or federal
[4:12:28] programs it's a good size
[4:12:30] increase. But compared to the
[4:12:31] size that you need to actually
[4:12:33] get a project done these are
[4:12:36] sort of modest funds could you
[4:12:37] speak to how like
[4:12:39] you know if we have I don't
[4:12:42] remember the number $25350,000
[4:12:45] what we can actually accomplish
[4:12:48] with that amount of money
[4:12:49] over the next budget cycle.
[4:12:49] We're so we break that down
[4:12:50] into a couple pieces one is I
[4:12:51] would I would just like to
[4:12:51] emphasize that. Well there's
[4:12:54] more work to do that we're not.
[4:12:55] Stalling out on
[4:12:58] anything we're going to keep
[4:13:00] going forward everything from
[4:13:02] a money perspective and from a
[4:13:04] result perspective is headed in
[4:13:07] the right direction. So we're
[4:13:09] in a budget. A year ago today
[4:13:10] that for complete streets had
[4:13:12] $800,000 between penny and
[4:13:13] impact fees. Next year's
[4:13:16] budget. He's going to have $1.5
[4:13:20] million in
[4:13:20] just those 2 categories so
[4:13:21] almost a doubling of that.
[4:13:24] Plus we have our money from the
[4:13:24] scooter right
[4:13:25] away fees that we roll into
[4:13:26] complete streets and we can't
[4:13:28] budget for that exactly because
[4:13:28] we don't know what will be but
[4:13:31] that's always done to clean up
[4:13:33] and then $300,000 from
[4:13:37] parking revenue is within that
[4:13:37] 1.5 number
[4:13:40] also up on traffic calming and
[4:13:41] traffic safety and then
[4:13:42] downtown pedestrian safety.
[4:13:44] So financially we're headed in
[4:13:47] the right direction and then
[4:13:48] results, wise. Although
[4:13:51] obviously we completely agree
[4:13:51] with the 0 target. The
[4:13:53] pedestrian fatalities are going
[4:13:54] down. And the overall
[4:13:55] fatalities are going down so
[4:13:58] we're off that that trend
[4:14:01] continues. That the cost to
[4:14:04] implement a project various
[4:14:05] widely. So it really depends.
[4:14:07] The new crosswalks that we're
[4:14:09] planning on putting in on MR.
[4:14:11] King South are particularly
[4:14:12] expensive for the couple
[4:14:14] reasons one is just that we
[4:14:16] don't have another project that
[4:14:17] we're doing it with and then
[4:14:20] secondly, the sidewalk
[4:14:22] connections and also some
[4:14:23] exercise walk requirements
[4:14:25] along the way so it just varies
[4:14:27] by by project but for the
[4:14:30] summer projects on imaging
[4:14:33] South that small town,
[4:14:33] multiple millions of dollars.
[4:14:34] Yeah and so you know what I
[4:14:37] think a lot of people think of
[4:14:38] complete think of like the
[4:14:41] total revamps we've had on
[4:14:44] first Avenue North and South or
[4:14:46] 9th Street North.
[4:14:47] And ml k Street North and so
[4:14:50] obviously like the funding that
[4:14:50] we're allocating
[4:14:51] the increases that were doing
[4:14:54] like that they're not they're
[4:14:56] going to be more
[4:15:00] scattered the matter or Morse.
[4:15:03] >> Us a scattered in one
[4:15:03] sense focused in another sense
[4:15:04] because.
[4:15:04] We maybe won't have like.
[4:15:05] One big project like that and I
[4:15:07] think some of the frustration
[4:15:09] that I hear from
[4:15:10] people and that I've expressed
[4:15:10] to you as well.
[4:15:13] Is you know there's not been
[4:15:13] any of those projects get
[4:15:16] across the finish line and so
[4:15:17] just these increases in funding
[4:15:19] help get projects like 28th
[4:15:21] Street across the finish
[4:15:24] line or 22th. 18th Avenue South
[4:15:28] across the finish
[4:15:29] line if you could speak to that
[4:15:29] a little bit.
[4:15:30] It doesn't I think because of
[4:15:31] the. Requests that we've been
[4:15:33] getting lately we've
[4:15:33] concentrated on making sure
[4:15:36] there's enough funding for MR.
[4:15:39] King Street South so.
[4:15:42] The funding that is in the
[4:15:43] penny and the funding that's an
[4:15:44] cra that Council will be voting
[4:15:44] on. We'll get all those
[4:15:47] projects across the finish line
[4:15:48] except for the
[4:15:50] future projects where we're
[4:15:54] looking to get funding from the
[4:15:57] state through 4 Pinellas ok so
[4:15:57] just with what we have coming
[4:15:59] forward within the next year or
[4:16:01] so we expect to be able to
[4:16:03] finish the protected bike lanes
[4:16:04] through downtown that is from
[4:16:07] 4th Avenue north of 4th Avenue
[4:16:10] South as well as.
[4:16:12] 6 additional cross walks.
[4:16:13] All right I appreciate that I
[4:16:15] see that we're moving in the
[4:16:16] right direction here but I
[4:16:17] think you know what we're
[4:16:18] hearing is this is a very top
[4:16:20] priority for community, it's
[4:16:24] been a top priority for me as
[4:16:25] well and
[4:16:26] I look forward to a us taking.
[4:16:26] Another step 2 and a whole
[4:16:30] nother level as to where we are
[4:16:30] right now because.
[4:16:31] You know the whole conversation
[4:16:34] has been around public safety
[4:16:36] and like you know bringing
[4:16:39] real safety to our community
[4:16:42] and these big issues that are
[4:16:45] you know,
[4:16:48] causing a lot of harm so.
[4:16:49] I'll leave it there because I
[4:16:51] see everybody else wants to
[4:16:52] talk now cover the 2 issues.
[4:16:55] >> Councilmember fix Sanders.
[4:16:56] Thank you and thank you
[4:16:57] for the presentation,
[4:17:00] especially for everyone this
[4:17:00] bold ends
[4:17:03] so I'm I'm in a couple of
[4:17:05] different places so when
[4:17:06] it was brought up about the
[4:17:09] outreach and perk was brought
[4:17:13] to that gave me a
[4:17:16] perfect segue into culture.
[4:17:19] A lot of the. Individuals that
[4:17:19] will be performing
[4:17:22] the outreach have experienced
[4:17:22] our understand the culture of
[4:17:25] the community that drastically
[4:17:29] needs that one-on-one
[4:17:31] when I hear that we send
[4:17:34] our cs ours into the community.
[4:17:36] There is everything to me is
[4:17:39] about relationships. There are
[4:17:40] certain things you can't
[4:17:43] talk to me about if you don't
[4:17:43] understand
[4:17:45] there's certain things say we
[4:17:46] can't relate. I have a
[4:17:49] conversation where I feel
[4:17:49] comfortable. If you cannot walk
[4:17:53] in my shoes or if you've not
[4:17:53] been in
[4:17:56] my community to understand I
[4:18:00] see $200,000 here allocated
[4:18:00] just for research for
[4:18:04] disengaged youth. What I hear.
[4:18:09] The dream defenders
[4:18:10] saying and you all have been so
[4:18:10] consistent. You all have
[4:18:12] followed all the process isn't
[4:18:15] everything that we've asked you
[4:18:17] to do that's something we
[4:18:18] cannot say I agree with the
[4:18:18] administration I don't want
[4:18:19] young people going door-to-door
[4:18:22] that is not something that I
[4:18:25] would prefer.
[4:18:27] There is still room
[4:18:30] for creativity here. When you
[4:18:31] have a $200,000 grant
[4:18:35] just to do research. Drew
[4:18:38] Griffin is
[4:18:40] already knew the children are
[4:18:41] noticing gays.
[4:18:41] You already know what fun we
[4:18:44] already know how to communicate
[4:18:45] you already know that often.
[4:18:46] And so I'm In the conversation
[4:18:49] and we can continue to have
[4:18:51] this conversation.
[4:18:52] To me it's all about
[4:18:53] relationships, it's all about
[4:18:56] culture is is not a job title.
[4:19:00] For me who is going to have the
[4:19:01] most impact with these
[4:19:04] disengaged youth that they're
[4:19:07] aiming to talk to we're
[4:19:09] getting stuck on that door to
[4:19:13] door thing. You all can do more
[4:19:14] than door to door.
[4:19:14] Your impact is greater than
[4:19:17] door to door. And I think if we
[4:19:18] get past that
[4:19:21] and have a conversation as to
[4:19:23] what other ways we can engage
[4:19:26] disengagement use how some of
[4:19:29] those dollars can be applied.
[4:19:32] So that I've been to 6 years.
[4:19:35] 5 of those asking for the same
[4:19:36] things I've or people with
[4:19:38] campaigns come after one year
[4:19:39] walk away the fat and someone
[4:19:41] would not grant jojo asking for
[4:19:42] a whole lot maybe just going to
[4:19:43] put that on the record. You are
[4:19:46] asking for a whole lot of good
[4:19:49] you're not asking for something
[4:19:50] that can't be negotiated.
[4:19:53] You know you're we can break
[4:19:56] that up to be able to receive
[4:19:57] children. You know
[4:20:00] you call the names of those
[4:20:01] they are no longer
[4:20:02] with us we can't put a dollar
[4:20:04] value on that. We can't you
[4:20:05] know explain to the pairs of
[4:20:08] explain too. Those that were
[4:20:11] impacted by that but we can
[4:20:13] have a conversation. You can
[4:20:16] sit in in say what you're
[4:20:17] telling me I can
[4:20:17] rationalize monetary early as
[4:20:21] the impact that you can make I
[4:20:24] can do that.
[4:20:26] And I'm I'm hearing
[4:20:30] what your request are and to me
[4:20:30] I think is worth a more engaged
[4:20:33] conversation as to taking bits
[4:20:36] and pieces of what
[4:20:38] safe streets is asking for to
[4:20:39] see how is the city we can
[4:20:42] partner we part know that am of
[4:20:42] you thank you councilmember
[4:20:44] gather for requesting this list
[4:20:46] of all the youth programming in
[4:20:49] the dollars that we're giving
[4:20:50] out in the community. There's a
[4:20:52] conversation that we can hand
[4:20:54] and and you know again you all
[4:20:58] have followed I guess that's
[4:21:00] that's where I take a
[4:21:01] pause in you followed all of
[4:21:03] the processes all of the steps
[4:21:04] you've made requests if you're
[4:21:07] asking for something this too
[4:21:09] much. We can say no
[4:21:10] but then we can also have
[4:21:13] another opportunity to have a
[4:21:16] conversation this is.
[4:21:16] Well you're asking for this
[4:21:20] what if we offer this we in and
[4:21:20] again it goes back
[4:21:22] to coach, you please let us not
[4:21:23] lose that. It goes back to
[4:21:24] coaches the people that are in
[4:21:27] the community living in those
[4:21:30] communities have the
[4:21:30] conversation knows. Delay was
[4:21:33] to use to me I think will make
[4:21:35] the most impact in the great
[4:21:36] and be the most effective.
[4:21:40] When it comes down to disengage
[4:21:43] in use a
[4:21:44] youth in gun
[4:21:45] Ali that there, but I am strong
[4:21:47] strong strong supporter of
[4:21:48] having additional conversations
[4:21:50] into because when I was like I
[4:21:50] say when I see $200 to do
[4:21:54] research on disengaged to run.
[4:22:04] There and and thank you thank
[4:22:07] you
[4:22:09] councilmember Driscoll.
[4:22:10] Thank you in our meeting last
[4:22:12] week and we had our public
[4:22:15] hearing and vote on utility
[4:22:24] >> Spoke about how.
[4:22:25] We are asking. Pay more in like
[4:22:28] 3 different ways. Utility
[4:22:32] rates.
[4:22:38] Property taxes.
[4:22:41] >> And then.
[4:22:43] Warm property taxes if
[4:22:43] they vote for this referendum
[4:22:44] that were.
[4:22:44] Putting forward for the general
[4:22:45] obligation bonds for
[4:22:46] infrastructure. So we've got 3
[4:22:47] different ways that we're
[4:22:49] hitting residents right now at
[4:22:50] a time when they're already
[4:22:53] getting hit by other financial
[4:22:57] constraints.
[4:23:00] And that's why I really wish
[4:23:06] that we had found a way to do.
[4:23:09] Reduction in the millage rate
[4:23:10] we've done it before.
[4:23:11] We learned today, live within
[4:23:14] her means just like everybody
[4:23:16] else has to at this time
[4:23:17] it held steady we're going to
[4:23:19] bring in more money. Yes costs
[4:23:22] have gone up. But I have not
[4:23:25] seen. The real belt tightening
[4:23:29] the real and.
[4:23:32] Frugality applied in the
[4:23:35] right places to give us what we
[4:23:39] need. There's still.
[4:23:45] If we were moving money too.
[4:23:48] Give our
[4:23:52] residents but they're asking
[4:23:52] for like safer
[4:23:53] streets that should be pretty
[4:23:56] much like a basic thing that we
[4:23:59] say yes to and I think after
[4:24:01] you know
[4:24:02] years of watching the money
[4:24:03] just dribble in for complete
[4:24:04] streets, I'm very happy to see
[4:24:07] that we have an increase this
[4:24:10] year. It's still not enough.
[4:24:14] We do have access to
[4:24:17] use Siri funding for a good
[4:24:18] chunk of what we need to get
[4:24:21] done. We have we have way to do
[4:24:22] something transformative here
[4:24:25] with making our streets safer.
[4:24:27] For pedestrian by.
[4:24:27] Pedestrians bicyclists people
[4:24:30] drive current had no matter how
[4:24:33] they get around we should
[4:24:33] make it a priority that they
[4:24:35] can feel like they can get
[4:24:36] around safely. No matter how
[4:24:39] they choose to do it. We're not
[4:24:42] doing that.
[4:24:43] >> And if we're serious about
[4:24:45] it we would have we would have
[4:24:48] them we would find the money.
[4:24:48] It's there. It's just been
[4:24:51] dispersed to all of these
[4:24:51] other.
[4:24:53] So many other things that are
[4:24:54] not as important to our
[4:24:56] residents. It's their money.
[4:24:59] And we really should be
[4:25:00] listening to that the increase
[4:25:02] that we have is not enough to
[4:25:05] make a significant difference.
[4:25:08] Quickly enough
[4:25:09] to start reducing.
[4:25:10] The number of serious injuries
[4:25:13] and fatalities that we're
[4:25:16] seeing out on our streets.
[4:25:16] That is one example of where I
[4:25:20] feel like we've gone wrong with
[4:25:23] the budget.
[4:25:28] You know further squeezing our
[4:25:29] residents through keeping the
[4:25:31] millage rate the same. It's
[4:25:32] just not something that I can
[4:25:35] go along with so that's where
[4:25:35] stand with things right now.
[4:25:36] I do appreciate everything that
[4:25:40] has been done with the budget
[4:25:42] so far
[4:25:44] and our Tom and his team just
[4:25:46] do an excellent job working
[4:25:49] with with what they're handed.
[4:25:54] And I can't say enough how much
[4:25:57] it means to me that and we have
[4:25:59] very dedicated public servants
[4:26:00] in the budget office who are
[4:26:03] working on this the best way
[4:26:06] that they can. These are not
[4:26:06] decisions that are made by them
[4:26:10] and so I want to make sure that
[4:26:11] that's clear difference.
[4:26:14] Finally I do want to ask is
[4:26:18] Evan still there.
[4:26:26] Tell us about the in I'm sorry
[4:26:27] if you mentioned earlier but
[4:26:30] there was talk about the 31th
[4:26:34] returned connector.
[4:26:39] >> The 31th Street trail
[4:26:42] connector goes between 31th
[4:26:45] Street, 34 Street
[4:26:46] and the eastern most part
[4:26:48] is city property, the open part
[4:26:49] and as you go onto the
[4:26:50] interstate and towards 34th
[4:26:52] Street. That's fdot property
[4:26:53] and we have been in contact
[4:26:53] with members of the community
[4:26:55] as well as fdot and 4 Pinellas
[4:26:59] about short and long term and
[4:27:02] permits and
[4:27:03] basically if we ask
[4:27:04] for contractors to go clean
[4:27:05] that they will. And
[4:27:07] unfortunately it's just not
[4:27:08] there often enough to keep up
[4:27:09] with that so times we hear from
[4:27:11] the community here we notice,
[4:27:14] and we asked for it to be clean
[4:27:17] and they do that. We are
[4:27:18] exploring potentially adding
[4:27:19] some cameras under the
[4:27:23] Interstate where it's more
[4:27:26] secluded the mic.
[4:27:28] Cause people to feel more
[4:27:30] comfortable and being able to
[4:27:33] be monitored and respond if
[4:27:33] there are any incidents and
[4:27:34] then we are talking about
[4:27:35] wayfinding improvements the
[4:27:36] things that MISTER Like talked
[4:27:39] about earlier we're working on.
[4:27:48] >> So is this season short term
[4:27:50] long term short is the short
[4:27:53] term.
[4:27:53] We have to apply for.
[4:27:54] Permits with fdot so it's hard
[4:27:56] to say exactly but I would
[4:27:59] think the matter 6 to
[4:28:00] 12 months we could see some
[4:28:03] some improvements there and the
[4:28:04] way finding that's on our
[4:28:05] property we could do that
[4:28:07] quicker the permits for the
[4:28:08] portion on fdot as well, yeah
[4:28:11] and you're pretty good at
[4:28:11] looking at okay,
[4:28:12] here's what we can do right
[4:28:12] now.
[4:28:14] To kind of show that we are
[4:28:15] serious about this and get
[4:28:18] something started while we wait
[4:28:18] for that things are a little
[4:28:19] bit more out of our control.
[4:28:22] So I would appreciate that
[4:28:24] being done and this is another
[4:28:27] one of theirs. I mean this is a
[4:28:29] very specific part of our city
[4:28:31] we want to do everything we can
[4:28:34] to help people and utilize the
[4:28:38] trail and you know our.
[4:28:40] >> Planes.
[4:28:41] And you know any way that they
[4:28:43] can get around to it. It where
[4:28:44] they feel safe and they can
[4:28:47] actually enjoy it. I know that
[4:28:47] you're right there
[4:28:49] your commitment is unparalleled
[4:28:52] and I really do appreciate
[4:28:55] everything that you do. But I
[4:28:56] wanted to just kind of
[4:28:56] underscore that that has been
[4:28:57] brought up tonight and I hope
[4:28:58] to to get some some good
[4:29:00] attention in the coming months.
[4:29:05] That's all I have right now
[4:29:08] thank you chair, thank you
[4:29:08] councilmember captured.
[4:29:09] Thank you MADAM Chair and first
[4:29:10] of all I want to start by
[4:29:13] saying thank you to everyone
[4:29:15] who came out this
[4:29:15] evening, not just for this
[4:29:19] evening. But all of your
[4:29:21] continued advocacy and to
[4:29:22] the dream defenders. You know
[4:29:25] we have worked together over
[4:29:27] the last few years and you
[4:29:30] have been very clear in your
[4:29:32] ask and you have
[4:29:33] already compromised a lot.
[4:29:35] So you know councilmember Floyd
[4:29:36] or vice chair Floyd I
[4:29:39] appreciate you really kind of
[4:29:40] doing
[4:29:41] that deep dive with our staff
[4:29:43] and understanding that you know
[4:29:45] there is it seems to be a
[4:29:48] willingness to be creative
[4:29:50] around these options. But
[4:29:54] I have a teenager and so when I
[4:29:55] hear some
[4:29:56] of these things I do have to
[4:29:59] wonder if they will have the
[4:30:02] ultimate effect that we want
[4:30:04] them to have because
[4:30:06] reaching teens is hard and we
[4:30:07] have had great success with our
[4:30:11] programming so I'm very
[4:30:12] encouraged to hear that staff
[4:30:12] is thinking outside the box
[4:30:15] about that. But I'm going to
[4:30:16] continue to
[4:30:19] encourage for us to think even
[4:30:20] bigger because reaching kids,
[4:30:22] especially in today's world
[4:30:24] with social media and
[4:30:27] technology. It's just a
[4:30:29] different ball game
[4:30:31] than it's ever been before.
[4:30:33] And so you know I'm going to
[4:30:36] continue to ask for us to
[4:30:37] really think about what the
[4:30:38] direct impact it's going to be
[4:30:41] how many youth we can reach
[4:30:44] with these programs and not
[4:30:46] just put it all in one basket
[4:30:48] and think that it's it's done.
[4:30:48] We have to continue to be
[4:30:50] creative and you know continue
[4:30:53] to look at all resources that
[4:30:57] we have because that's our
[4:30:58] future and if we're not
[4:30:59] doing everything we can to
[4:31:00] protect them. And we are
[4:31:03] limited in what we can do as a
[4:31:04] body as it
[4:31:06] comes to gun control and trust
[4:31:07] me I think if we have the
[4:31:10] ability we be doing a lot in
[4:31:11] that space but
[4:31:12] state preempts us from doing
[4:31:14] that and so what can we do what
[4:31:16] kind of services and I even
[4:31:18] made a note here because I
[4:31:21] remember very clearly that it
[4:31:22] didn't just stop with
[4:31:25] peer to peer outreach it was
[4:31:28] also transportation access to
[4:31:29] get to event and you all took
[4:31:30] that off of your list at some
[4:31:33] point because there was a lot
[4:31:34] of obstacles that were put in
[4:31:37] your way. I would like the city
[4:31:38] to
[4:31:39] re-engage in that conversation
[4:31:40] as well because it is really
[4:31:43] difficult for kids to get
[4:31:46] around our city, especially if
[4:31:47] you don't have means and you
[4:31:51] transportation that we provide
[4:31:51] is always going to be safer
[4:31:52] than other transportation
[4:31:54] options as well and so I just
[4:31:57] would encourage the
[4:31:58] administration to continue
[4:32:01] to press on these issues and I
[4:32:02] agree $200,000 to study what
[4:32:05] our community is already
[4:32:08] telling us.
[4:32:10] I think that right there
[4:32:11] need reallocated immediately
[4:32:11] because I don't really
[4:32:14] understand what the output of
[4:32:17] that is supposed to be when we
[4:32:18] have the people in the
[4:32:20] room her telling us what we
[4:32:21] need to do. So I will continue
[4:32:22] to advocate for that even long
[4:32:25] after I'm off of this Council.
[4:32:31] Let's talk about complete
[4:32:31] streets
[4:32:32] and roadway improvements
[4:32:36] because this is a piece of a
[4:32:36] public health
[4:32:37] crisis that is continuing in
[4:32:39] our city. Another thing that no
[4:32:42] one talked about tonight, but I
[4:32:45] continue to elevate his
[4:32:47] food access as well. These are
[4:32:48] issues that in a city as rich
[4:32:51] as ours we should not continue
[4:32:53] to have these
[4:32:54] issues plaguing our community
[4:32:58] and and so specifically around
[4:32:59] complete streets
[4:33:01] crosswalk improvements. It
[4:33:04] continues to be incredibly
[4:33:05] frustrating that we have
[4:33:08] crosswalks however people are
[4:33:10] getting hit in
[4:33:11] the crosswalks.
[4:33:12] And so Evan I'm going to ask
[4:33:15] you again some questions
[4:33:16] because this is the topic
[4:33:16] of the night so I'm glad you're
[4:33:19] here with us and first of all
[4:33:20] before I start to
[4:33:21] ask the questions I just want
[4:33:23] to thank you because you and I
[4:33:26] worked kind of silently behind
[4:33:27] the scenes on the Saint
[4:33:28] Pete high crosswalks on 9th
[4:33:30] Avenue and I want to thank you
[4:33:33] for those improvements I hope
[4:33:34] that those are going to make a
[4:33:37] difference for our kids but
[4:33:38] that's just one
[4:33:41] area. And so can you talk a
[4:33:41] little bit for the public who
[4:33:42] doesn't know what improvements
[4:33:44] we did there can you talk a
[4:33:46] little bit about those 2
[4:33:47] intersections are those 2
[4:33:50] crosswalks and exactly what
[4:33:52] happened with those and
[4:33:53] how you were able to get that
[4:33:54] done.
[4:33:55] Be glad to so there's 2 main
[4:33:58] intersections just north of
[4:33:59] Saint Pete high that
[4:34:01] the students use their both
[4:34:02] designated student. Crossings
[4:34:05] and they both have their you
[4:34:05] have. I am Frances
[4:34:07] crossings with the flashing
[4:34:08] beacons the student that got
[4:34:11] hit did activate the Beacon and
[4:34:12] the driver.
[4:34:14] Still the. They didn't didn't
[4:34:15] get their attention and they
[4:34:18] they hit the student
[4:34:19] unfortunately
[4:34:20] so that what we try to do there
[4:34:23] was knowing that it's already
[4:34:23] high emphasis crossing and
[4:34:24] people should be able to see it
[4:34:27] with thought through what can
[4:34:28] we do to take it to the next
[4:34:29] level and look at some other
[4:34:32] cities and decided that we
[4:34:32] would add a
[4:34:34] second flashing beacon on each
[4:34:36] one we also engage the Parks
[4:34:37] Department helped us do some
[4:34:38] tree limb. Turning they weren't
[4:34:41] they weren't too bad, but just
[4:34:44] so you could see it from way
[4:34:46] far back and then also added
[4:34:48] visors on top of the flashing
[4:34:49] beacons can like you see on top
[4:34:50] of traffic signals. So that if
[4:34:53] it's a certain time of day that
[4:34:54] will be more visible.
[4:34:57] We know other communities of
[4:34:59] done both of those but we the
[4:34:59] lira the first ever that we
[4:35:02] could find that combine all
[4:35:04] that together and so we are
[4:35:05] looking forward to seeing how
[4:35:07] that works hope we don't have
[4:35:10] any more. It's some of the
[4:35:11] incidents there and
[4:35:12] can replicate it and other
[4:35:12] places.
[4:35:15] And approximately how much did
[4:35:17] that cost do you have that off
[4:35:19] the top of your head.
[4:35:20] So the upgrades that I
[4:35:20] mentioned alone wouldn't be
[4:35:21] very expensive but the devices
[4:35:23] that were there we're getting
[4:35:23] towards the end of their useful
[4:35:26] lives and we replace them
[4:35:28] entirely was it was in the
[4:35:31] range of about $75,000 to take
[4:35:34] care of.
[4:35:35] Both cross walks right.
[4:35:37] Right and so I think where we
[4:35:39] need to get as the city is that
[4:35:40] we need to be looking to do
[4:35:43] these proactively ahead of time
[4:35:46] and
[4:35:47] not waiting on something to
[4:35:48] happen. And I'm all about these
[4:35:51] quick fix us because I think
[4:35:53] that you know with
[4:35:54] such a small amount of money.
[4:35:57] Less money coming from the feds
[4:35:57] less money coming from the
[4:35:58] state for these kind of
[4:36:01] improvements we're going to
[4:36:01] have to figure
[4:36:02] out ways to stretch your dollar
[4:36:05] and I think a project like this
[4:36:06] is perfect and so what I hope
[4:36:07] to see and I won't be here long
[4:36:10] enough to see it, but I
[4:36:11] certainly hope
[4:36:12] to see it as a resident is that
[4:36:14] we start with all of our
[4:36:17] crosswalks along our schools
[4:36:20] like that kind of the easiest
[4:36:21] place to start and again
[4:36:22] protecting our kids and start
[4:36:26] there making sure that we apply
[4:36:29] these quick
[4:36:29] fixes to all of those and then
[4:36:30] from there you know looking at
[4:36:34] all of to crosswalks in the
[4:36:36] city and I know that
[4:36:36] forward Pinellas we had talked
[4:36:40] about there was a crosswalk I
[4:36:40] believe
[4:36:42] out on 22th. Closer to where
[4:36:44] the trail is passed them all
[4:36:45] there and there was some reason
[4:36:46] there was an improvement there
[4:36:49] that we weren't able to do
[4:36:49] because
[4:36:50] of something within our code
[4:36:51] and you and I kind of talked
[4:36:54] about that as well so is there
[4:36:57] something coming code related
[4:37:01] that we will be changing
[4:37:02] that will allow us to do some
[4:37:02] of that.
[4:37:05] Yes one thing I should mention
[4:37:05] also about the
[4:37:06] 9th Avenue crossing news.
[4:37:06] That was something that we
[4:37:07] could do we have them we have
[4:37:10] the money available. We have
[4:37:10] the
[4:37:12] capacity on the spending and
[4:37:13] then we also did at all with
[4:37:14] in-house Caruso the stormwater
[4:37:15] payment traffic operations
[4:37:17] department was able to do that
[4:37:19] we didn't need a complex
[4:37:21] design. So we were at that
[4:37:22] student got hit on the last day
[4:37:24] of school and we were able to
[4:37:26] do them permit before the first
[4:37:27] day of school. So that was done
[4:37:29] in a period of about 60 Having
[4:37:30] a capable and House. Department
[4:37:33] they can do that really helped
[4:37:36] outside. Thank
[4:37:39] Marshall and his team for that.
[4:37:39] >> Thank you for mentioning
[4:37:40] marshal.
[4:37:41] The second thing is the ultra
[4:37:44] crossing on 22th Avenue North
[4:37:45] and so there's a one of the
[4:37:45] recommendations is raised
[4:37:48] crosswalk.
[4:37:49] And so back to the
[4:37:50] traffic calming discussion we
[4:37:51] had we're recommending a change
[4:37:54] the comprehensive plan that
[4:37:54] would allow
[4:37:55] vertical traffic calming on
[4:37:57] major roads. So right now our
[4:37:57] comp plan does not allow it and
[4:38:01] will be seeking Council's
[4:38:04] approval to change that
[4:38:05] very good.
[4:38:06] Well yeah I think that's the
[4:38:08] thing I complete streets, it's
[4:38:09] a puzzle. It's not just
[4:38:10] you know it's not just fun day.
[4:38:11] It's you know how do we do
[4:38:11] these quick fixes how do we
[4:38:14] make sure that within our code
[4:38:17] we can do things.
[4:38:19] It's a very complex planned.
[4:38:20] And so I just encourage us to
[4:38:21] continue to look at every lever
[4:38:23] that we can call to get the
[4:38:27] most out of the dollars that we
[4:38:28] have
[4:38:29] because money is tight and we
[4:38:30] have a lot of need and I think
[4:38:32] that if we can look at the way
[4:38:33] that we can spread that and I
[4:38:37] love you know when we do it
[4:38:37] along with another project
[4:38:38] that we're doing something like
[4:38:41] that.
[4:38:43] I think that that really
[4:38:43] kind of gets us to where we
[4:38:44] need to be.
[4:38:45] My last question is I have you
[4:38:49] know kind of heard this over
[4:38:50] and over again about
[4:38:53] reducing speeds because.
[4:38:57] This is not just a you know a
[4:38:57] bike pedestrian in
[4:38:58] crosswalk situation, this is
[4:38:59] people in their cars people in
[4:38:59] their cars driving way too fast
[4:39:03] in areas where people should be
[4:39:06] able
[4:39:06] to freely move about.
[4:39:07] >> So.
[4:39:10] In a city like ours where we
[4:39:11] have state roads
[4:39:13] County roads city roads like
[4:39:16] how complex is it to look at
[4:39:18] reducing speeds
[4:39:19] even just within neighborhoods.
[4:39:19] >> Can you talk about that a
[4:39:20] little bit because you and I
[4:39:22] have tried to do that in
[4:39:23] Riviera Bay for
[4:39:24] quite some time now.
[4:39:24] Right so the state has
[4:39:26] jurisdiction over state roads
[4:39:28] but also local roads and
[4:39:31] there's statutes related to
[4:39:32] there's a speed
[4:39:33] zoning manual. It just tells us
[4:39:34] and how far we can go down for
[4:39:37] speed limits were allowed to do
[4:39:40] and not do.
[4:39:41] And.
[4:39:42] School zones so it is complex
[4:39:43] and government entities are not
[4:39:46] allowed to arbitrarily set
[4:39:47] speed limits. We can't just put
[4:39:47] it that whatever we want the
[4:39:50] rest of the study. So
[4:39:51] oftentimes what we're doing and
[4:39:52] I think you're going to see it
[4:39:55] with what we're doing on MR.
[4:39:57] King South is that
[4:40:00] by adding these long series of
[4:40:03] 6 robust cross walks major
[4:40:03] media ends. That's not just
[4:40:06] going to have a pedestrian
[4:40:06] impact it's going to cause the
[4:40:07] friction and make it so
[4:40:09] everybody's driving little bit
[4:40:10] slower and then maybe we can
[4:40:13] reduce the speed limit. But we
[4:40:16] couldn't just go do it. Right
[4:40:20] right.
[4:40:21] Well I continue to do the work
[4:40:22] because of an out of everyone,
[4:40:24] I know you want to do this more
[4:40:24] than any of us you've worked on
[4:40:27] this a very very long time we
[4:40:28] wouldn't have a
[4:40:29] complete streets plan without
[4:40:30] you. So thank you for
[4:40:31] continuing to advocate and to
[4:40:34] do everything you can to try to
[4:40:35] make our roads as safe as
[4:40:38] possible with a little funds
[4:40:39] that we give you you and
[4:40:40] Cheryl thank you very much for
[4:40:43] that and thank you to everyone
[4:40:46] again who came out tonight
[4:40:47] continue to elevate
[4:40:49] your voices continue to
[4:40:50] advocate. The budget is a
[4:40:51] delicate dance and there's a
[4:40:52] lot of need and there's always
[4:40:55] more need than we have the
[4:40:56] money to be
[4:40:59] able to fund. But that's our
[4:40:59] job is to figure
[4:41:01] out how to do that with
[4:41:02] community safety at the heart
[4:41:04] of everything that we do.
[4:41:07] So thank you MADAM Chair.
[4:41:08] Thank you
[4:41:09] councilmember Givens.
[4:41:10] Thank you very much chair.
[4:41:13] Thank you all so much for
[4:41:16] showing up.
[4:41:17] >> It's been said that we
[4:41:20] have the same conversation over
[4:41:20] and over again but I think
[4:41:21] that's the definition of
[4:41:23] insanity. When you continue to
[4:41:24] have the same conversation but
[4:41:27] continue the show the same
[4:41:30] actions.
[4:41:33] I think actions speak louder
[4:41:33] than words and I also think
[4:41:36] that our budget should reflect
[4:41:37] our values.
[4:41:40] We work hard to come up with a
[4:41:43] balanced budget.
[4:41:46] But just because its balance
[4:41:49] doesn't mean it's equitable.
[4:41:52] >> I still have concerns
[4:41:52] especially regarding
[4:41:56] millage rate. I really wish we
[4:41:57] would have
[4:41:58] found a way to reduce it.
[4:42:01] Considering people are already
[4:42:01] hurting enough.
[4:42:05] I think we could have found
[4:42:07] ways to cut costs and
[4:42:10] increase constituent services.
[4:42:11] Rather that be through safe
[4:42:13] streets are complete streets
[4:42:14] are youth opportunities, the
[4:42:14] constituents have shown up the
[4:42:15] show up you're at the year I've
[4:42:17] been on the other side of this
[4:42:19] diocese, I know what it's like
[4:42:20] to ask in your requests fall on
[4:42:23] deaf ears. But then you're told
[4:42:27] that we hear you.
[4:42:30] I think we have to stop
[4:42:33] treating taxpayer dollars like
[4:42:36] personal slush funds.
[4:42:43] Especially when there are.
[4:42:44] Needs in this community.
[4:42:44] Some aren't even tangible.
[4:42:45] Put your hand on that
[4:42:46] individual whose life was lost
[4:42:47] see that to gun violence or a
[4:42:49] lack of pedestrian or bicycle
[4:42:49] safety.
[4:42:52] They're longer here and it's
[4:42:54] too late.
[4:42:55] But what's not too late is our
[4:42:59] opportunity to trim some of the
[4:43:00] fat in this budget.
[4:43:01] I look at the budget Inn there
[4:43:04] are some things that are
[4:43:05] alarming in
[4:43:07] the budget I I am concerned
[4:43:07] especially when I see 68% of
[4:43:10] our general fund expenditures
[4:43:11] are going towards wages and
[4:43:14] benefits. I brought this up
[4:43:17] before.
[4:43:18] Largest source of our revenue
[4:43:18] in the city is Texas and I
[4:43:21] don't think that should go
[4:43:23] towards paying.
[4:43:24] For salaries. I just don't
[4:43:25] especially if it's not the
[4:43:28] salaries that the people are
[4:43:29] asking for to deliver the
[4:43:31] services that they need.
[4:43:34] We have a billion budget that
[4:43:35] continues to bloom
[4:43:37] and I just want to know where
[4:43:39] we're trying to be good fiscal
[4:43:43] stewards because it is hard for
[4:43:43] me to see that property
[4:43:46] values rise. And so in return I
[4:43:48] would think ok well that means
[4:43:49] lowering the millage rate and
[4:43:52] it also means cutting spending.
[4:43:54] If we have to instead of
[4:43:58] assessing higher values and
[4:44:01] assessments on others.
[4:44:02] i did see there was the
[4:44:05] an increase I kept Liz
[4:44:06] discussing this increase in
[4:44:09] fuel charges. Can we talk about
[4:44:12] that for a minute.
[4:44:15] I understand I guess it's water
[4:44:17] resources. Storm water but can
[4:44:19] we talk a little bit about this
[4:44:20] this increase in fuel have we
[4:44:23] accepted the inevitable, yes
[4:44:24] just with inflation feel crop
[4:44:24] cause of the increase but.
[4:44:27] What strategies are we looking
[4:44:29] to implement to conserve it.
[4:44:29] So when we first started
[4:44:30] building the budget was back
[4:44:32] JANUARY FEBRUARY time frame and
[4:44:33] it was before some of the
[4:44:35] economic and political actions
[4:44:38] of happens like the war in Iran
[4:44:39] and just like everyone else the
[4:44:41] yeah if you go to the gas pump
[4:44:42] your Alba gas went up a dollar
[4:44:43] so that cost this happening for
[4:44:46] us as well so we needed to
[4:44:46] adjust the budget to account
[4:44:48] for that increase in fuel.
[4:44:49] So it's a citywide increase
[4:44:50] because it's affecting every
[4:44:53] city department that has a
[4:44:56] vehicle's budget.
[4:44:56] >> And I appreciate that
[4:44:59] explanation I still feel like
[4:45:00] we should
[4:45:01] be capitalizing on inflation.
[4:45:04] That that's not a reason for us
[4:45:07] not to find ways to conserve.
[4:45:08] I and again when we talk about
[4:45:12] optimizing the tax dollars I
[4:45:12] think there are ways
[4:45:13] for us to creatively be more
[4:45:14] efficient and in this is why
[4:45:17] again I have trouble accepting
[4:45:20] what we're presenting
[4:45:23] working class families.
[4:45:27] And it's not fair for us
[4:45:27] to ask for more
[4:45:30] when they're already trying to
[4:45:32] balance their their their
[4:45:33] paychecks and stretch their
[4:45:36] dollars. But here we are every
[4:45:37] time we turn around we're
[4:45:38] saying ok we're going to hold
[4:45:38] steady on millage rate but not
[4:45:42] look for ways to conserve.
[4:45:45] So.
[4:45:46] >> So again as part of the
[4:45:50] budget process we started off
[4:45:51] to just cover the
[4:45:52] same programs we had on last
[4:45:53] year's budget. That's going to
[4:45:55] cost us about 18 to 20 million
[4:45:55] more so we worked with the
[4:45:58] department's just in the
[4:45:59] general fund
[4:46:00] which is about 430 million of
[4:46:00] our budget and we actually went
[4:46:03] through had departments to
[4:46:05] reduction package is and we the
[4:46:06] this 12 million from that
[4:46:10] budget so if we hadn't done
[4:46:12] that exercise that
[4:46:13] ad valorem revenue ask could
[4:46:13] have been higher we could have
[4:46:15] looked to increase the millage
[4:46:18] rate but we did do the budget
[4:46:19] process go through and work
[4:46:20] with departments to look at
[4:46:21] ways we could cut the budget so
[4:46:23] every year to do the same thing
[4:46:27] we did the prior year. It cost
[4:46:28] for just like
[4:46:29] in Europe personal budgets.
[4:46:30] Thank you for that appreciate
[4:46:33] that Liz I want to kind of jump
[4:46:36] over a little bit to
[4:46:37] youth outreach since that was
[4:46:38] brought up.
[4:46:40] On. I do agree that I would
[4:46:43] love to see more peer to
[4:46:46] peer I think
[4:46:46] more real-time intervention.
[4:46:48] I like the idea that was
[4:46:52] brought up about utilizing
[4:46:52] However, I would like to
[4:46:56] offer tweet to that proposal in
[4:46:57] order to again provide
[4:46:59] employment for these young
[4:46:59] people and to provide again
[4:47:00] peer to peer intervention
[4:47:03] conflict resolution moral
[4:47:03] support
[4:47:05] to help prevent crime and stop
[4:47:08] violence. I think having
[4:47:09] someone who you can relate
[4:47:12] to a pier is the best approach.
[4:47:15] I also think that leads to an
[4:47:17] immediate de-escalation
[4:47:19] but what I I don't think is the
[4:47:21] the right approach is just
[4:47:24] hosting events at a school I
[4:47:25] would love to see employing
[4:47:26] these young people to be
[4:47:27] ambassadors. I see Mike I
[4:47:30] definitely you know think if
[4:47:33] there is a way for us to get
[4:47:37] more. Janet
[4:47:38] Jackson's Rusk, ato's you know
[4:47:39] starting them it.
[4:47:39] 1516 17 years old, you know
[4:47:40] looking at my heart into you
[4:47:43] know we've had a lot of folks
[4:47:44] start within Park and rec.
[4:47:44] I certainly think that is a
[4:47:48] great ticket into the door when
[4:47:48] you're looking
[4:47:49] for a pathway to employment
[4:47:50] with the city. I think there's
[4:47:51] a creative way for us to do
[4:47:52] that while also again providing
[4:47:55] direct intervention to the
[4:47:56] community providing those
[4:47:59] navigators within the community
[4:47:59] and I think in our schools
[4:48:00] is a place where it's most
[4:48:01] needed. So I'd love the game
[4:48:04] just work with you and your
[4:48:05] department on that
[4:48:06] possible job description.
[4:48:07] If we are to roll that out
[4:48:10] because I do see at least one
[4:48:11] or 2 ambassadors and every high
[4:48:14] school and those ambassadors
[4:48:15] really being are
[4:48:16] I was in the years. Those hurt
[4:48:16] are the people who are
[4:48:19] gathering the pulse of the
[4:48:20] community that
[4:48:20] community that a lot of us
[4:48:23] can't reach. I love that idea i
[4:48:24] would support that I see
[4:48:26] what neighborhood relations is
[4:48:28] doing I love that work as well
[4:48:29] getting out there in vehicles
[4:48:29] wrapping those vehicles so that
[4:48:31] with the community is aware
[4:48:32] that yes we do have navigators
[4:48:35] out there on the streets.
[4:48:37] I love it.
[4:48:39] But again. I don't see cds you
[4:48:40] this disengaged youth these are
[4:48:41] opportunity youth and they're
[4:48:43] just looking to get connected
[4:48:44] to the right opportunity so I
[4:48:46] think we have that we're on the
[4:48:47] right path there so thank you
[4:48:49] for that Mike. Last thing I
[4:48:51] want to bring up on the police
[4:48:52] budget. So it was mentioned how
[4:48:55] much the police budgets
[4:48:56] increased by about $10 million
[4:48:56] this year. I want to talk a
[4:48:59] little bit about the call
[4:49:00] program because I feel
[4:49:01] like that is another creative
[4:49:02] solution to providing some
[4:49:06] youth opportunities, youth
[4:49:08] engagement youth outreach.
[4:49:10] I don't know if chief Holloway
[4:49:10] is around 2 to ask him
[4:49:11] questions but if he is I'd like
[4:49:14] to talk a little bit about
[4:49:15] that.
[4:49:16] >> If there is a counselor
[4:49:19] there's a delay in the
[4:49:22] backrooms acting
[4:49:25] chief Gerardo is here MAY just
[4:49:25] be a minute but you're sure.
[4:49:26] Kerry is thank you.
[4:49:27] Hello chief, thanks for joining
[4:49:28] I'm not sure if you heard, but
[4:49:30] I was bringing up the
[4:49:31] call program on we're talking
[4:49:32] about youth opportunities and
[4:49:33] possible youth employment and I
[4:49:36] was just wondering could that
[4:49:37] be
[4:49:40] a prospective opportunity for
[4:49:43] us to
[4:49:46] opportunities for you when it
[4:49:46] comes to employment.
[4:49:47] Are you saying hard to be used
[4:49:48] to be part of our Navigator sm
[4:49:48] well those people are trained
[4:49:49] in doing different things so
[4:49:51] you're talking about bringing
[4:49:52] in a teenager, I was a probably
[4:49:54] tell you know be just because
[4:49:55] of what they have to do going
[4:49:56] into homes and work with other
[4:49:58] people. The call program is an
[4:50:00] issue when a parent called or
[4:50:01] guardian called and said my
[4:50:02] child was going through it is
[4:50:04] there's a lot of things that we
[4:50:05] do the call programme-makers
[4:50:08] here also is we connect with
[4:50:09] the schools and if
[4:50:10] things so some information is
[4:50:11] confidential. So I don't
[4:50:15] believe that we can bring you
[4:50:16] into this program to
[4:50:17] be one of our navigators.
[4:50:18] And I appreciate that
[4:50:19] explanation and I would offer
[4:50:21] just rebuttal once again
[4:50:22] perhaps this could be a
[4:50:23] collaboration with Tesco if we
[4:50:25] can employ them through the
[4:50:27] call program perhaps is a
[4:50:28] collaboration opportunity for
[4:50:31] them to work with your
[4:50:31] community navigators to again
[4:50:34] provide that peer to peer
[4:50:37] navigation
[4:50:41] or assistance if it's needed so
[4:50:41] I just wanted to offer that
[4:50:42] chief.
[4:50:42] And I can tell you Sarah Mike
[4:50:43] to the team Pasco do a great
[4:50:44] job, we also in this program up
[4:50:45] to where we meet once a month
[4:50:45] with everybody. In the
[4:50:47] community so to speak we have
[4:50:49] the school board there we have
[4:50:50] different people so we do get
[4:50:50] the wrap around services and
[4:50:53] then from there we have to go
[4:50:56] to that go to another group.
[4:50:58] Again I'm not going to say no
[4:50:58] but at this we're talking about
[4:51:00] employing you to look at other
[4:51:02] options than that of course
[4:51:02] just want to offer point
[4:51:03] consideration, especially in
[4:51:05] front of the public to let them
[4:51:05] know that again we are having
[4:51:06] conversations you know this
[4:51:09] isn't the first time I brought
[4:51:09] this up to each of you
[4:51:10] and I have this conversation
[4:51:10] often.
[4:51:13] And I do think it's it's worth
[4:51:14] noting
[4:51:15] that we are looking for
[4:51:16] creative solutions and I hope
[4:51:18] and I pray that we are sincere
[4:51:20] and genuine about following up
[4:51:20] an engaging on this topic
[4:51:22] because I obviously the show up
[4:51:23] here at the years with
[4:51:26] something that community
[4:51:28] definitely not just once
[4:51:29] but need so thank you chief.
[4:51:30] The last thing I want to bring
[4:51:30] up talking about the people's
[4:51:33] budget because again that's
[4:51:34] what
[4:51:34] this is the cre we've had
[4:51:37] conversations again and again
[4:51:38] and
[4:51:38] again about the cra the
[4:51:42] public's frustrations with the
[4:51:45] cra I feel like this is a magic
[4:51:46] weapon. It's an untapped
[4:51:47] resource, you know when you
[4:51:48] have a million appropriation
[4:51:51] year after year multi-year that
[4:51:51] we are
[4:51:53] accelerating the way that we
[4:51:56] should or appropriating where
[4:51:57] we should be I think it's
[4:51:58] an untapped resource that's
[4:52:00] under utilized. So I just want
[4:52:03] to talk a little bit about the
[4:52:04] cra
[4:52:05] and just kind of find out where
[4:52:07] we are there. I think a lot of
[4:52:10] these concerns whether it be
[4:52:11] infrastructure improvement
[4:52:13] lighting sidewalks whatever.
[4:52:14] It could be a dress with then
[4:52:15] the cra budget and it wouldn't
[4:52:18] have to come from our general
[4:52:19] fund side just want to know is
[4:52:19] it possible for us to talk
[4:52:22] about what the plans are for
[4:52:25] that.
[4:52:33] >> Councilmember good good
[4:52:35] evening evening on certainly
[4:52:37] the cra budgets are being
[4:52:37] developed right now I in fact
[4:52:40] the South Saint Pete cra budget
[4:52:40] went to the cac earlier this
[4:52:42] week I believe are last week.
[4:52:45] So that will be forthcoming to
[4:52:48] City Council for approval.
[4:52:51] Once that is
[4:52:51] that work is completed.
[4:52:52] I appreciate that and again I
[4:52:53] just want to make sure it's
[4:52:54] heard we've had conversation
[4:52:56] that just had a conversation
[4:52:59] last night and warehouse arts
[4:53:00] district. Specifically
[4:53:03] about things like parking right
[4:53:04] and how we can activate some
[4:53:05] infrastructure improvements to
[4:53:06] provide better lie. I think
[4:53:09] that helps with complete
[4:53:09] streets right just public
[4:53:11] safety walkability bike ability
[4:53:13] again low hanging fruit we
[4:53:15] talked about quick fixes I
[4:53:16] definitely think this is We've
[4:53:18] had this conversation we've
[4:53:19] been having this conversation
[4:53:19] but I just feel like again
[4:53:22] we're not getting too where the
[4:53:24] public is asking us to get to
[4:53:24] and I just want us to do a
[4:53:25] little bit more a little bit
[4:53:28] summer but thank you so much,
[4:53:31] thank you. Thank you.
[4:53:32] If your flight.
[4:53:33] Thank you real quick. Evan,
[4:53:36] again this is just going to
[4:53:39] take one 2nd.
[4:53:42] We we were talking about 9th
[4:53:44] Avenue North earlier and you
[4:53:44] mentioned the changes to the
[4:53:45] cross walks and I asked you a
[4:53:48] couple of times in a one-on-one
[4:53:50] conversation what it would take
[4:53:50] to get like a permanent speed
[4:53:54] marker there because we have
[4:53:57] real problems with
[4:54:01] speeding in that area people
[4:54:02] Well over the posted
[4:54:02] 35 on average and you.
[4:54:03] Seem to indicate that you think
[4:54:05] it's something that we could
[4:54:07] that and so I
[4:54:08] just wanted you to be able to
[4:54:09] say that here.
[4:54:10] Yes, we believe we can do that
[4:54:13] there were looking at Pinellas
[4:54:14] point drive as well as a couple
[4:54:15] other locations and of course
[4:54:18] we have some out there already
[4:54:20] but 9th Avenue
[4:54:21] North zone are Okay very soon.
[4:54:21] >> I'm glad to hear about
[4:54:22] Pinellas point drive as well I
[4:54:24] just wanted to actually bring
[4:54:25] that out into the public
[4:54:25] because you and I've been
[4:54:26] talking about it because
[4:54:27] ultimately what I want to see
[4:54:29] is a complete streets project
[4:54:31] on 9th Avenue North.
[4:54:33] But in the I just want to make
[4:54:34] sure people that were working
[4:54:36] on other things as well thank
[4:54:38] you,
[4:54:38] thank you councilmember fig.
[4:54:39] Thank you really quickly and
[4:54:40] again thank you all for this.
[4:54:43] Thank you council member
[4:54:45] driskell
[4:54:46] for reminding me about the the
[4:54:47] 31th Street trail connector
[4:54:50] says one session I just wanted
[4:54:51] to remind you
[4:54:55] that we have received request
[4:54:56] in hopefully we will have
[4:54:58] additional conversation in
[4:54:58] those regards because it's such
[4:55:01] an emu robot, the area, the
[4:55:02] fdot your
[4:55:02] that they're looking for is
[4:55:03] extremely You brought that up
[4:55:04] and thank you for reminding me
[4:55:05] on and thank you for Lauren and
[4:55:08] those that actually came up to
[4:55:09] speed. Thank you chair.
[4:55:12] You.
[4:55:13] We'll see a
[4:55:16] new request to speak from
[4:55:17] council members.
[4:55:18] >> So first of all I think
[4:55:19] everyone for being here.
[4:55:19] I think a lot of the council
[4:55:20] members have hit upon
[4:55:21] everything and I'm not at 8
[4:55:24] o'clock going to be repetitive.
[4:55:27] I again give it a bigger.
[4:55:30] Broadview. Just touch upon with
[4:55:30] Evan a quick thing that you
[4:55:31] brought up that I think is
[4:55:34] relevant to some of the press.
[4:55:39] Cost pressures were having.
[4:55:40] You reminded everyone that the
[4:55:41] mlk South projects are more
[4:55:44] expensive because they're not
[4:55:46] with another project.
[4:55:49] And so this is the challenge
[4:55:49] that we have because you're
[4:55:50] dressing a community Dean
[4:55:51] you're dressing it faster we're
[4:55:52] doing it without another
[4:55:55] project which means that we're
[4:55:58] going to have less
[4:56:01] money for other things.
[4:56:02] We did the mlk North project
[4:56:03] with a resurfacing project so
[4:56:03] we save money. We had a
[4:56:06] conversation earlier today
[4:56:09] about
[4:56:11] the project were getting stuck
[4:56:11] with.
[4:56:12] My moneys that are Grant
[4:56:12] monies.
[4:56:13] And I'd just like us if
[4:56:15] amendment 3 passes is going to
[4:56:17] feel the effects of amendment 3
[4:56:20] because what's going to happen
[4:56:23] is their budget is 80%
[4:56:24] property taxes.
[4:56:26] We're talking about youth
[4:56:29] programs. We had the wv here
[4:56:30] recently and there is no one
[4:56:33] in the county that provides
[4:56:36] more money.
[4:56:41] Jwb as a matter of fact that's
[4:56:44] the whole purpose of jwb the
[4:56:45] county of
[4:56:46] Pinellas did it specifically to
[4:56:49] provide all the youth programs
[4:56:52] and support for families
[4:56:52] and they are a special taxing
[4:56:55] district. The majority of the
[4:56:58] money comes from ad valorem
[4:56:59] taxes and if it passes guess
[4:57:00] what's going to happen to all
[4:57:03] those programs and I just want
[4:57:04] to put that
[4:57:05] broad stroke of an of just kind
[4:57:08] of in people's minds, what
[4:57:08] we're dealing with
[4:57:09] because we're getting it from
[4:57:12] everywhere we're getting it
[4:57:13] from all
[4:57:14] the organizations that are not
[4:57:17] getting money because they're
[4:57:18] not getting money from other
[4:57:19] places we're getting it from
[4:57:20] arts organizations.
[4:57:21] We are getting it from
[4:57:22] everywhere we're getting it
[4:57:24] from utility customers that
[4:57:25] don't want to pay more for
[4:57:26] utilities that actually pay for
[4:57:28] these products days in the end
[4:57:29] a project you're talking about
[4:57:31] the has flooding or whatever it
[4:57:33] is
[4:57:34] and and so I just want to put
[4:57:37] that broad brush of where we're
[4:57:40] at right now because I'll
[4:57:41] tell you come NOVEMBER.
[4:57:42] It's going to be quite
[4:57:42] interesting as to where we are
[4:57:45] going to be in terms of funding
[4:57:45] levels because I sometime think
[4:57:48] that when we're talking about
[4:57:49] this putting all those pieces
[4:57:52] together is very difficult to
[4:57:53] understand
[4:57:54] we look at our budget and it's
[4:57:55] like well, we have a billion
[4:57:57] dollar budget no we don't have
[4:57:57] a billion dollars we can spend
[4:57:59] on whatever progress because
[4:58:00] part of that is our utility you
[4:58:00] can't spend you can't use that
[4:58:03] money for anything but the
[4:58:04] utility.
[4:58:07] You got a look at our general
[4:58:08] fund dollars and then
[4:58:09] what are those part of those
[4:58:10] monies are available for things
[4:58:13] so it's not really a billion
[4:58:14] dollars that you can
[4:58:16] just use for anything and it's
[4:58:17] the same thing with all the
[4:58:20] monies that were getting for
[4:58:23] grants. So I
[4:58:25] just I want to put that out
[4:58:27] there.
[4:58:29] We
[4:58:30] also get the w me money that we
[4:58:30] use for.
[4:58:31] And Costco and other programs
[4:58:31] in teen programs that are
[4:58:32] extremely valuable and I do
[4:58:33] think it's important when we're
[4:58:33] talking about the budget
[4:58:35] because there's not going to be
[4:58:35] another time to really talk
[4:58:37] about all the things intersect
[4:58:39] how there could be some really
[4:58:40] catastrophic consequences come
[4:58:41] NOVEMBER. And that's a
[4:58:41] conversation we have not had
[4:58:45] and I know that we're talking
[4:58:46] everybody has
[4:58:48] you know.
[4:58:49] Whether its complete streets
[4:58:51] whether its youth programs
[4:58:54] whatever it is the arts
[4:58:55] programs. I was just
[4:58:58] in the arts grants. Committee
[4:58:59] and they're not getting money
[4:59:00] and there's not enough money
[4:59:00] for them. And no matter what
[4:59:01] subject you're talking about
[4:59:04] it's the same we're hearing
[4:59:05] from everyone so
[4:59:07] I think that's the context that
[4:59:08] we're dealing with this and I
[4:59:09] know that we've been trying to
[4:59:12] things I am super great Pree
[4:59:16] should have when.
[4:59:17] Evan and
[4:59:18] his team are trying to find
[4:59:19] money for your projects but
[4:59:21] then when I hear that we're
[4:59:23] spending more money on mlk
[4:59:24] South project. I worry about
[4:59:26] the other projects will be
[4:59:27] doing. I want the project to
[4:59:29] happen. But that's the reality
[4:59:30] of what they're moving because
[4:59:33] they're always finding money
[4:59:34] from somewhere to spend and so
[4:59:35] I think it's great I'm glad
[4:59:38] that Evan is spending the
[4:59:41] money.
[4:59:41] But it comes at a cost and
[4:59:42] sometimes at a higher cause and
[4:59:43] then another project will have
[4:59:45] less money and so that's kind
[4:59:49] of where we're at with our
[4:59:49] budget
[4:59:51] and I it's you know it's in my
[4:59:52] budget priorities, but I also
[4:59:55] realize the challenges that
[4:59:56] there have so
[4:59:57] I think I kind of touched upon
[5:00:00] everything I wanted to touch
[5:00:02] upon in the broader level.
[5:00:04] And I really want to thank
[5:00:05] everyone for being here tonight
[5:00:09] at this point in time we are at
[5:00:10] the point
[5:00:10] where I'm supposed to go to the
[5:00:11] next step.
[5:00:12] And state that the proposed
[5:00:15] millage rate for the city
[5:00:16] of St. Petersburg a 6.4 5, 2, 5
[5:00:17] Mills which is a 1.0 5%
[5:00:21] increase over the rollback rate
[5:00:24] of 6 point 3, 8, 5, 4, Mills.
[5:00:29] The next step is.
[5:00:31] I will entertain a motion to
[5:00:34] approve a one a the millage
[5:00:36] resolution. I have a motion and
[5:00:37] a second. Clerk if you can open
[5:00:40] them in voting. Members please
[5:00:43] enter your votes.
[5:00:45] >> Being present council
[5:00:48] members voted clerk please town
[5:00:49] tally and announce the vote.
[5:00:50] >> MADAM Chair, the motion to
[5:00:52] approve agenda item. They want
[5:00:53] a pass to 62 with
[5:00:53] councilmembers your school
[5:00:54] Givens voting known
[5:00:54] councilmembers fix Sanders
[5:00:56] Floyd gabbard Curtis Hannah was
[5:01:00] in Hardin voting. Yes, thank
[5:01:03] you move approval j'juan be.
[5:01:06] Motion to approve maybe
[5:01:10] I'm sorry he was a second.
[5:01:13] >> This is a motion to pass the
[5:01:15] recommended budget
[5:01:15] appropriations ordinance.
[5:01:18] If you can open the machine for
[5:01:19] voting.
[5:01:19] Council members please enter
[5:01:22] your votes seeing that a prison
[5:01:25] council members a vote a clerk
[5:01:25] please telling
[5:01:28] And show the motion to approve
[5:01:30] agenda item j when the passes
[5:01:31] councilmembers Driscoll and get
[5:01:31] Givens voting. No. Council
[5:01:32] members took Sanders Floyd
[5:01:33] gabbard Curtis you know what's
[5:01:36] in Hardin boating this. Thank
[5:01:39] you next up approval j one c.
[5:01:43] >> Motion and a second for j
[5:01:43] when see clerk if you can do
[5:01:46] voting council members please
[5:01:47] enter your votes.
[5:01:48] Seeing that are present council
[5:01:51] members a vote a clerk please
[5:01:53] telling announce the vote.
[5:01:56] >> I'm sure the motion to
[5:01:58] approve
[5:01:58] agenda item j one see past the
[5:01:59] 6 to a councilmember's just
[5:02:00] cool Givens voting know
[5:02:00] councilmember 6 Sanders Floyd
[5:02:03] Gallagher's Hannah was in
[5:02:06] Hardin voting. Yes.
[5:02:09] >> The final public hearing on
[5:02:10] the fiscal year 2027 military
[5:02:11] and budget show be on Sept.
[5:02:11] 17th 20 26 at 06:00pm in the
[5:02:14] City Council chambers of City
[5:02:15] Hall.
[5:02:17] The first public hearing on the
[5:02:20] fiscal year 2027 millage rate
[5:02:23] and budget is now close.
[5:02:31] We have a nice be cut open for
[5:02:34] him.
[5:02:40] >> The Bush spoke during the
[5:02:43] budget so no persons here in
[5:02:46] person.
[5:02:49] >> We got announcements.
[5:02:50] Council member driskell.
[5:02:51] If you want yeah, let's give it
[5:02:54] a many years. MADAM Chair, we.
[5:02:55] Yeah it begin clear the room so
[5:02:58] that way we can get to the
[5:03:02] announcement sparked.
[5:03:21] >> Well you're about to gavel
[5:03:24] us over the. Last year at
[5:03:25] forgotten.
[5:03:25] >> If you can do the interview
[5:03:26] outside we're still in chambers
[5:03:28] and we just have to finish a
[5:03:29] couple of things in and it
[5:03:32] would be great. Thank you so
[5:03:35] much.
[5:03:43] >> Thank you and just a
[5:03:43] couple of questions updates
[5:03:46] that I wanted to get real quick
[5:03:49] from the administration and
[5:03:50] just so that everyone you know
[5:03:51] can hear together and I don't
[5:03:52] know the answer so we're gonna
[5:03:54] find out together. I wanted to
[5:03:57] know
[5:03:58] and what the status was on the
[5:04:00] contract for the clean and safe
[5:04:01] program that was brought up
[5:04:04] during the budget discussion
[5:04:04] and so I
[5:04:07] was wondering I know last time
[5:04:10] I asked and isu said it was
[5:04:11] planned for Aug. 27th. I know
[5:04:12] there was a little bit of a
[5:04:15] delay but like where were we at
[5:04:16] with it now
[5:04:17] that's her a council member and
[5:04:17] I.
[5:04:21] Asked MISTER Hampson to call
[5:04:22] you to it was not able to
[5:04:23] give yes he did he did but and
[5:04:25] so he's working on the
[5:04:25] contract. He doesn't now have a
[5:04:28] specific date. We're sorry took
[5:04:29] him longer
[5:04:29] than he anticipated it would
[5:04:30] take in.
[5:04:31] We're going to bring in the sun
[5:04:31] this weekend. He's he's just
[5:04:32] working on the actual contract
[5:04:34] with the City Attorney's
[5:04:37] Office.
[5:04:38] Okay.
[5:04:41] You guys are that's correct
[5:04:44] councilmember we provided some
[5:04:44] feedback to
[5:04:45] MISTER Hampton I think was last
[5:04:47] week in response to a draft
[5:04:49] that we had received side, it's
[5:04:49] my understanding he's working
[5:04:52] on that and we'll the next
[5:04:55] draft
[5:04:56] involving the okay.
[5:04:56] Okay good, so sounds like it's
[5:04:58] at least getting close now.
[5:04:58] Yeah that's good. Thank you so
[5:05:01] much the other thing. I wanted
[5:05:05] to ask about ways they on
[5:05:08] the Grand Prix dates. I
[5:05:10] made aware that they had
[5:05:11] they had asked for and some
[5:05:14] future dates like back in MAY.
[5:05:17] And typically that's
[5:05:20] sort of like from out it's
[5:05:23] it's an easy pass
[5:05:26] through for us. But I was a
[5:05:29] little concerned since it was
[5:05:30] requested in MAY
[5:05:30] by our friends with the Grand
[5:05:33] Prix and I know that they have
[5:05:34] to
[5:05:35] plan way ahead with things.
[5:05:37] So you know off the top of your
[5:05:38] head for that that I can
[5:05:40] certainly we can send an email
[5:05:41] to all Council with an update
[5:05:42] an answer to be honest with you
[5:05:46] I was not aware of this
[5:05:49] situation and k.
[5:05:49] >> Yeah, and.
[5:05:50] There is a a even though it
[5:05:50] sounds like a long ways off
[5:05:53] there is a sense of urgency
[5:05:54] just because the
[5:05:54] nature of their business.
[5:05:56] So they've been such great
[5:05:56] partners I hope that we can
[5:05:59] absolutely back on track.
[5:06:00] I appreciate you let me know
[5:06:00] and I'll follow up with
[5:06:02] everyone.
[5:06:02] When your fall, thank you so
[5:06:03] much that's all I have except.
[5:06:06] I hope everyone enjoys the long
[5:06:09] holiday weekend.
[5:06:12] >> Council members, thank you
[5:06:12] very much, MADAM Chair. I was
[5:06:15] also going to wish everybody a
[5:06:16] of a nice
[5:06:19] holiday weekend and also if I
[5:06:19] if I'm not mistaken, I
[5:06:22] think it's councilmember Givens
[5:06:23] legislative Nelson battles
[5:06:24] birthday this Sat. And so
[5:06:27] councilmember Givens want to go
[5:06:28] ahead
[5:06:29] and lead us and happy birthday
[5:06:30] for your legislative aide.
[5:06:33] I'll take baritone you take to
[5:06:36] a deal at for day 2
[5:06:41] happy birthday too.
[5:06:44] Happy birthday to you and the
[5:06:48] Senate
[5:06:59] had in her day to thank you
[5:06:59] very much, MADAM Chair.
[5:07:00] Thank you. We want to speak on
[5:07:01] over for me, yeah open forum
[5:07:01] has been closed though. Ok you
[5:07:03] can do that for the next
[5:07:06] meeting, then.
[5:07:14] No I'd like to sign up.
[5:07:15] I'm here at that it's still
[5:07:15] open floor.
[5:07:16] We closed open form in the
[5:07:18] meeting and I've checked with
[5:07:20] our legal department years
[5:07:20] downtown I just I checked I
[5:07:24] checked, you know I checked
[5:07:27] with.
[5:07:37] >> Will this be a a.
[5:07:43] We joke a a okay that was a